"Let's Build and Use Together": Proposal for 'Korea-NATO Defense Cooperation 2.0'

[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung, who is visiting Türkiye to attend the NATO summit, has proposed upgrading the level of defense cooperation between South Korea and NATO. He suggested moving beyond simple arms trade to a level where both sides jointly develop and utilize defense systems.

Kang Min-u reports from Ankara.

[Reporter]

President Lee, who is in Ankara, Türkiye, for his first attendance at a NATO summit since taking office, proposed a new vision for cooperation during his keynote speech at the NATO Defense Industry Forum.

[President Lee Jae-myung: I propose upgrading our cooperation to a 'Korea-NATO Defense Industry Partnership 2.0,' where we jointly research, produce, and operate weapon systems.]

By introducing the concept of "let's build and use together," he is looking beyond mere transactional relationships. President Lee also repeatedly emphasized that South Korea is a reliable partner that shares values with NATO.

[President Lee Jae-myung: NATO and the Republic of Korea share the memories of tragic wars and are partners that have protected the values of democracy, freedom, and peace together amidst a severe security environment.]

With recent analyses suggesting that South Korea faced setbacks in the Canadian submarine procurement bid due to difficulties in overcoming the deep-rooted interoperability of weapon systems among NATO member states, this proposal appears to reflect a strong will to overcome the so-called "NATO wall" by upgrading cooperation frameworks and emphasizing reliability.

The negotiations for a NATO 'Basic Procurement Agreement,' which began following President Lee's meeting with Secretary General Mark Rutte, are also interpreted as a strategic move with the same intent.

[Wi Sung-lac, Director of the National Security Office: Once the agreement is signed, it will establish an institutional foundation for our companies to participate in the NATO joint procurement market, which is estimated to be worth 15 trillion won annually.]

Entering the second day of his trip today (July 8), President Lee plans to secure a bridgehead for exports to NATO, the world's largest defense market, through a series of meetings with leaders attending the summit.

(Video coverage: Ha Ryung, Video editing: Yoo Mi-ra)

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