▲ President Yoon Suk Yeol poses for a commemorative photo with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte before their meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, on July 7 (local time).
Following the meeting between President Yoon Suk Yeol and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the launch of negotiations for a 'Procurement Framework Agreement' between South Korea and NATO has been made official.
On his social media on the 7th (local time), President Yoon wrote, "The South Korea-NATO Procurement Framework Agreement, for which negotiations have now begun, will serve as a solid foundation for our defense companies to expand further into the NATO defense market."
He added, "I hope that our companies, which possess world-class technological prowess and competitiveness, will be able to fully demonstrate their capabilities on a larger stage and create new opportunities for growth."
In this regard, Wi Sung-lac, Director of the National Security Office, held a briefing at the Korea Press Center in Ankara, Türkiye, and explained, "This agreement defines the legal and administrative matters necessary for military and defense cooperation and procurement contracts between integrated partner nations."
He assessed the development as "securing a foothold for entry into the world's largest NATO defense market."
He further emphasized, "Once the agreement is signed, an institutional foundation will be established for our companies to participate in the NATO joint procurement market, which is estimated to be worth 15 trillion won per year."
Director Wi also explained, "In addition to the existing ammunition supply project in which South Korea participated as an observer, South Korea will now also participate as an observer in defense and raw material projects among multinational cooperation projects that jointly develop equipment and materials," adding that "multinational cooperation projects have been further expanded."
He stressed, "Participating in ammunition, defense, and raw material projects will strengthen the interoperability of weapon systems between South Korea and NATO, and contribute to creating conditions for the stable procurement of South Korean military supplies."
These remarks align with the current situation in which NATO is pushing for the standardization of weapon systems.
The idea is that by aligning with NATO standards, the market accessibility of the South Korean defense industry can be enhanced.
President Yoon also stated at the 'NATO Defense Industry Forum,' "Each country has different standards, production methods, and production practices," adding, "Unifying these standards will likely become an important issue."
A high-ranking official from the Presidential Office noted, "While we can expect significant effects such as maintenance cost savings through the joint operation of weapon systems, this does not mean that South Korea is entering the NATO umbrella. We are still cooperating as a partner nation," and predicted, "It does not appear that this will have a major impact on relations with other countries, such as China and Russia."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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