On June 27, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of the Republic of Korea (ROK) hosted the CSIS-DAPA 2024 conference, focused on expanding defense cooperation within the ROK-U.S. alliance. Both nations recognized the importance of a resilient and integrated defense-industrial base capable of sustaining long-term military operations and responding to emerging threats. The conference brought together high-ranking experts and practitioners from both nations to discuss the future of the U.S.-ROK defense-industrial partnership and to better understand options for enhanced bilateral and multilateral collaboration.
In his opening remarks, CSIS president John J. Hamre emphasized the urgency of deepening the ROK-U.S. alliance into a “third-generation” partnership where the respective defense industries are deeply interconnected, promoting joint development and production amid global geopolitical shifts. ROK keynoter Minister Seok, JongGun of DAPA reflected on this concept, proposing a “generation 3.5” partnership that incorporates joint operations and sustainment, underscoring the need for robust cooperation to ensure a stable defense supply chain. On the basis of the now 70-year ROK-U.S. alliance, he outlined the evolving nature of defense cooperation, extending beyond military aid and technology transfer to include joint research and development and production.
U.S. keynoter Hon. Douglas R. Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology, underlined the U.S. Army’s Indo-Pacific modernization efforts, highlighting the cooperative potential of uncrewed aerial systems, ground robotics, AI, and advanced communication networks in support of an arsenal of democracies. The United States and ROK presently have four technology data exchange agreements on munitions technologies, advanced materials, directed energy technology, and quantum computing. In parallel, Minister Seok emphasized the strategic importance of integrating advanced technologies into defense capabilities and the necessity of co-development and coproduction for the United States to maintain technological superiority and operational readiness.
While acknowledging advancements in technology, Mr. Bush continued to stress the need for joint production and ramping up of stockpiles of munitions. Mr. Han, Seung Jae (Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement) and Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn (Center for a New American Security) further accentuated the importance of production capability in modern high-intensity and drawn-out conflicts, drawing lessons from the ongoing war in Ukraine. Minister Seok noted that regional synergy and security would see significant improvements “if we integrate the critical source technology from the U.S. and Korea’s advanced production capability.”
Resiliency through industrial base cooperation emerged as a central theme, echoed in statements by Mr. Jedidiah P. Royal of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), who discussed the new Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience, which aims to enhance industrial interoperability, capacity, and resilience among 12 nations, and Mr. Scott A. Sendmeyer (DoD), who explored the National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS) and previewed its interim implementation report. The NDIS aims to enhance the resilience, capacity, and responsiveness of the U.S. defense industrial base through four outlined pillars: resilient supply chains, workforce readiness, flexible acquisition, and economic deterrence. By discussing the Security of Supply Arrangement of 2023, and various initiatives to aid small and medium Korean defense enterprises, Ms. Park, JinA (DAPA) described the Korean Global Value Chain 30 approach to facilitating business and industry opportunity as the catalyst for the resiliency and stabilization of weapon systems supply chains. Modular design approaches were raised as another potential source of cooperation and resilience, one that is central to U.S. Air Force approaches, especially on the upcoming uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
Ms. Park also discussed the cooperative possibilities of a Reciprocal Defense Procurement (RDP) agreement, raised in the May 21, 2022 United States-Republic of Korea Leaders’ Joint Statement, as well as the benefits of ROK company participation in the Foreign Comparative Test program. The RDP agreement and government-to-government cooperation were the focus of the first half of the private session. An RDP agreement is similar to a free trade agreement in the defense arena. Expert practitioners and presented data agreed that an RDP agreement was a key next step and that the Korean defense industrial base was sufficiently robust to thrive in a new playing field that was both more collaborative and competitive. Experts from both governments and multiple U.S. departments agreed on the strength that robust and productive Korean industry could bring to the challenges discussed above. However, to address skepticism from some in the U.S. Congress, the titular reciprocity of the new RDP agreement will be key, as will continued progress on ROK-U.S. defense technology security arrangements and export approaches aligned with the foreign policy interests of both nations.
The final session of the event looked at the potential for cooperation in advanced jet engines. This is a high-risk, high-reward form of cooperation: the U.S.-France CFM joint venture has shaped the global market and reached its 50th year, but it required presidential-level support from both nations to initiate. The greater maturity of advanced aircraft engines today means that this collaboration could be modular, with Korean companies working on the less sensitive, lower-temperature parts of engines, raising fewer technology security concerns.
This conference identified possible next steps to support “the critical role played by the defense industrial base and the collaboration required to realize true technological advancements that enable us to provide the best solutions to our war fighters, again at faster speed and at greater scale.” The ROK-U.S. relationship is growing even more important; as Minister Seok observed, “Korea is ready to make a contribution to peace and security of the Indo-Pacific region going beyond the Korean Peninsula.”
Gregory Sanders is deputy director and fellow with the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. Hugo Holopainen is an intern with the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group at CSIS.
