Ankara: South Korea is the second-largest supplier of arms to European NATO members after the US. For South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, attending his first NATO summit since taking office was not simply about reaffirming solidarity with the alliance. It was about positioning Asia's fourth-largest economy and one of the world's fastest-growing arms exporters as a long-term strategic and industrial partner for NATO, at a time when European and Indo-Pacific security are becoming increasingly intertwined.
According to Anadolu Agency, President Lee emphasized that security transcends geographical boundaries, linking the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions through common challenges. He highlighted the importance of technological innovation, resilient industrial bases, and trusted partnerships in this new era of security.
South Korea is one of NATO's four Indo-Pacific partners (IP4), along with Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Since first being invited to a NATO summit in 2022, the group has become a more prominent feature of alliance meetings as NATO seeks closer cooperation with like-minded partners beyond the Euro-Atlantic region.
During the two-day summit, Lee engaged in a series of meetings, including his first in-person encounter with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. He also delivered the keynote address at the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum and held discussions with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Lee pledged $100 million in non-lethal reconstruction aid to Ukraine, underscoring South Korea's commitment to international peace and security.
The 36th NATO summit in Ankara aimed to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. South Korea's participation sought to enhance the political partnership with NATO into concrete industrial cooperation.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), South Korea was the second-largest supplier of arms to European NATO members after the US between 2021 and 2025. President Lee unveiled his vision for a "Korea-NATO Defense Partnership 2.0," aiming to expand cooperation beyond traditional arms procurement to include joint research, production, and operations.
The summit resulted in significant progress towards this vision, including the launch of negotiations on a Korea-NATO Procurement Framework Agreement, expanded participation in NATO's multinational capability projects, and engagement with NATO's innovation ecosystem. This framework would provide Korean firms with structured access to NATO's $9.9 billion annual defense procurement market.
South Korea has already established a presence in European defense markets, with Poland as its largest European customer. Other countries like Norway have also procured South Korean-made defense equipment.
"My vision is for Korea and NATO to become long-term partners," President Lee stated, emphasizing the goal of building stronger defense industries and an enhanced international security architecture for the future.
Following the summit, President Lee departed Ankara for a state visit to Mongolia, continuing his overseas tour.