Background

In the tide of unstable security environment and rapidly developing advanced technologies, defense cooperation is facing new challenges and opportunities. The defense cooperation that was conventionally focused on military education and person-to-person exchanges is now expanding to the level of defense strategy. Yet, single-state efforts would not be enough to sufficiently secure foundational capabilities of the defense industry that serve as the basis of defense acquisition and force employment. As acquisition and employment of the weapon system become more complex, and the requirement for combined operations increases between friendly countries to uphold common security interests, the importance of interoperability is on the rise. The recent defense supply chain cooperation being magnified by some militarily advanced countries also reveals new part of defense cooperation. In order to prepare much more stable and robust defense acquisition and employment system, cooperation between the countries is necessary.

Moreover, mutual and reciprocal defense cooperation will contribute to de-escalate the regional tension and establish trust. Cooperation in defense acquisition and defense industry is one of the core aspects of reciprocal defense cooperation. Cooperating to strengthen the foundational capabilities of defense industry, which are a national security asset, and collaborating with the purpose of developing acquisition system will form the basis that enhances military friendly relations, political trust, and mutual interests in terms of economy and industry. Such mutual cooperative relationship can be sustained when there is a support of institutional solidarity. The robust trust between friendly countries in the system and policies with respect to the field of defense acquisition and defense industry will enable defense cooperation at the strategic level.

From this perspective, this session provides the participating countries with an opportunity to share experiences and lessons learned with respect to the development of defense acquisition and employment system. Looking at different trajectories of the development of each country's defense acquisition system and understanding important cases and achievements will further increase the possibility of mutual cooperation and solidarity. It is also necessary to reflect on the effects and limitations of past cases of defense industry cooperation and to discuss expectations and ways to develop. Ultimately, taking this session as an opportunity, every country is highly encouraged to join the effort to explore directions of improvement for defense acquisition and employment system in response to the global security threat and the rapid changes in the advanced technologies.

Moderator & Panel

• 
  Moderator Joonsoo PARK
• 
  Panel Jeenhong KIM
• 
  Panel Heiko BORCHERT
• 
  Panel Uk YANG