Inside South Korea's race to become one of the world’s biggest arms dealers

Winning is so easy for the Koreans when traditional weapons exporters are price gouging; the US is charging $1 million/round for each Stinger missile sold to Taiwan, and KMW is charging $30 million/unit for Leopard 2A8 sold to Germany.

Because of Korea's massive arms purchase volume(Korea spends 3 times as much as Japan on arms acquisition each year and 5 times the weapons R&D), Korean weapons already enjoy the economy of scale before heading out to foreign markets and undercut the rivals by half and still make a fat profit.

https://sentinel.tw/u-s-government-approves-us2-2bn-sale-of-m1a2-tanks-stinger-missiles-to-taiwan/

The second notification includes 250 Block I-92F “Stinger” man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) and four (4) Block I-92F MANPADS “Stinger” fly-to-buy missiles, along with related equipment and support, at an estimated cost of US$223.56 million. 

https://gagadget.com/en/251943-the-pentagon-has-modified-all-f-35-lightning-ii-fighters-but-has-yet-to-find-the-cause-of-harmonic-resonance-in-the-f135--amp/

KMW reveals first demonstration of state-of-the-art Leopard 2A8 tank worth more than $30m

Germany has already decided to purchase Leopard 2A8 tanks. The first batch of 18 combat vehicles will cost around $565 million. In total Berlin is planning to invest over $3 billion in the purchase of 123 tanks. The Czech Republic would also like to order about 70 Leopard 2A8s.

Sadly, Japan can't buy weapons from the world's most competitive arms dealer and must buy from price gouging US via FMS.

Very interesting and somehow shocking inside view. More generalized and by far not limited to the military sector, I would say all the formerly known big nations and players only care about useless things and topics nowadays and intentionally run blindly into their complete de-industrialization and poverty while the second and third row countries now see and use their chances and new niches for unlimited growth. It’s nothing so new, as already an old saying says, if the cat is away then the mice will play.

A case in example.

Japan intends to buy 80 GCAP/Tempest fighter jets, along with 80 for UK and 40 for Italy for the grand total of 220 units across 3 nations, and is 80 units short of reaching the break-even point of 300 units.

Korea by comparison plans to buy 300~340 units of KF-21 for its armed forces alone(300 for ROKAF and 40 for ROKN as naval variant), meaning they already reached the break-even point based on domestic orders alone and can offer cut-rate prices on export orders.

Around 2030, most fighter jet buyers would have just two options, the F-35 or the KF-21. F-16 would be too old while GCAP, not available for export until 2040, would be priced at $300 million/each for export customers.

Actually there is the 3rd option, China's J-35 fighter jet, but buying Chinese fighter jets is problematic in terms of communications, trainings, and logistics so only realistic options are just the F-35 and the KF-21.

Wonderful business

Inside South Korea's race to become one of the world’s biggest arms dealers

South Korea has no article 9. Not pacifist.

Slowly becoming the world's biggest arms dealer or top 5 at least. They love to brag about it too. Making huge profits.

Quote: "South Korea has supplied Ukraine with $100 million in humanitarian aid since the war began in February 2022, but it has said it wouldn't provide lethal aid to Kyiv"

They send Ukraine the bare minimum. All that advanced technology for sale to Poland and the rest of Europe at a nice fat profit, but refuses to arm Ukraine when it matters most!

Is your country fighting against China or Russia?? Don't look at South Korea for help or support! But they do expect full backing against North Korea in return!

South Korea is smarter than Japan. A huge list of exports last year. And Japan? One air search radar delivered to the Phillpines. Purchased a bunch of helicopters, aircrafts, aircraft engines, turbofans etc. from US (and even a Scania engine from Sweden). Not good for Japan's economy!

the ultimate growth industry!

One of the few advantages of being in a constant state of possible war, is military readiness and with that comes knowledge of weapons systems. Israel, not surprisingly, also has a robust weapons industry. Weapons R&D is heavily reliant on the most current, cutting edge technologies that can have ripple effects on other tech and business sectors.

I think we've learned in the Ukraine war that ammunition is a huge problem in sustained combat. Is South Korea willing to sell it's 155mm shells and are the US or others willing to pony up to make it happen?

Promoting conflict and instability boosts profits.

On the contrary, if peace prevailed trillions of dollars of profits for the elite insiders could not be realized.

On the contrary, if peace prevailed trillions of dollars of profits for the elite insiders could not be realized.

Is that support for the PRC crushing a democratic Taiwan I see in your history? Why yes, I believe it is. Sorry, but nobody is buying the dove China argument anymore.

South Korea is smarter than Japan. A huge list of exports last year

Because Japan is not allow to export weapons.

No decent human being cheers the growth of a blood business like arms. Absolute nihilism.

Of all the different things South Korea could focus to become a world power it seems to me that aiming for arms dealing is a huge waste. For a country in such a delicate situation I would have expected it to work for demilitarization in general instead of promoting armed conflicts.

SK in box regarding Ukraine arm's support, given Russian WMD and other capabilities likely making their way to NK as result.

Clearly US and other NATO proxies can continue to support Ukraine far more safely than SK with weapons & munitions, given SK still at war with NK technically.

Every country has duty to first protect its people and not simply follow dangerous path of US NATO war machine. Global escalation a very real and horrific possibility.

Well done SK, seems they have true fiduciary for President, not beholden to greedy special interests willing to do anything to simply make a buck!

"European hunger for arms" = supporting the US war machine. None of this would be necessary without the endless US proxy wars all around the globe.

WilliBToday 02:00 am JST

"European hunger for arms" = supporting the US war machine. None of this would be necessary without the endless US proxy wars all around the globe.

Literally zero wars at the moment and you have a high estimation of the US ability to get people to die for it. Also, it will be China that invades Taiwan unprovoked.

Clay

Clearly US and other NATO proxies can continue to support Ukraine

The US and NATO aren't proxies.

far more safely than SK with weapons & munitions, given SK still at war with NK technically.

Technically, that doesn't make a difference.

Every country has duty to first protect its people

Indeed. Ukraine has a duty to fight Russia to protect its people.

and not simply follow dangerous path of US NATO war machine.

There is no US NATO war machine. US and European countries are suppling arms to Ukraine because of a war that they wish Russia never started. The war machine is Russia, imperialistically invading countries Putin wants to be part of Russia. SK is against imperialism, so it supports Ukraine.

Literally zero wars at the moment and you have a high estimation of the US ability to get people to die for it. Also, it will be China that invades Taiwan unprovoked.

You are really misinformed on a while other level...not aware of US involvement in the Ukraine mess, somehow don't know about Pelosi's visit to Taiwan/US military personnel in Taiwan/massive sales of US arms to Taiwan etc.

You are really misinformed on a while other level...not aware of US involvement in the Ukraine mess, somehow don't know about Pelosi's visit to Taiwan/US military personnel in Taiwan/massive sales of US arms to Taiwan etc.

You are really misinformed if you think those are wars in the public's sense. Zero active duty at risk in both cases.

moonbloom

Literally zero wars at the moment and you have a high estimation of the US ability to get people to die for it. Also, it will be China that invades Taiwan unprovoked.

You are really misinformed on a while other level...not aware of US involvement in the Ukraine mess

Do they have any troops there? No? Thought so. Not involved.