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Minister Ahn Gyu-back Leads Efforts to Promote K-Defense Exports and Strengthen Defense Cooperation

Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea

Recent News

2025-10-28

At Seoul ADEX 2025, Minister Ahn holds bilateral talks with key defense officials.

Discusses expanding defense cooperation with NATO and Saudi Arabia.

Calls for international support toward North Korea's denuclearization.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back engages in discussio

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back engages in discussions with NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska during bilateral meetings at the Seoul ADEX exhibition in the second hall of KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 20, 2025.

On October 20, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back actively supported K-Defense exports through meetings with key figures visiting Korea to attend the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (Seoul ADEX 2025).

Minister Ahn Gyu-back urged Radu-Dinel Miruță, Minister of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism of Romania, to take keen interest in the K2 tanks and Redback armored vehicles produced by Korean defense companies. Romania, in the process of military modernization, purchased 54 K9 self-propelled howitzers from Korea last year. Minister Ahn requested the Ministry of Economy of Romania to maintain active interest in the continued development of bilateral cooperation in the defense industry. He also expressed confidence that advanced Korean weapon systems, such as the K9 self-propelled howitzer, will serve as core assets in Romania's military modernization efforts.

The Minister met with Air Chief Marshal Fayyadh bin Hamed Al Ruwaili, Chairman of the General Staff of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. Minister Ahn highlighted the excellence and global competitiveness of Korean defense technologies showcased at ADEX, expressing Korea's anticipation to become a key partner in Saudi Arabia's long-term defense industry development aligned with Vision 2030. Chairman Al Ruwaili responded by expressing hope that bilateral cooperation in defense and the defense industry would be further strengthened, building upon the trust established between the two countries through collaboration in the energy and construction sectors.

Minister Ahn also held a bilateral meeting with Radmila Šekerinska, Deputy Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He stated that Korea seeks to expand defense industry cooperation from individual European countries to NATO and the European Union (EU), requesting Deputy Secretary General Šekerinska's keen attention and support.

Defense cooperation was also among the topics discussed during the bilateral meetings. Minister Ahn emphasized to key figures that the advancement of North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities, along with its illicit military cooperation with Russia, pose serious threats to the international community.

In particular, he encouraged Minister Miruță to express the Romanian government's support for South Korea's policy aimed at achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula and the denuclearization of North Korea. To Deputy Secretary General Šekerinska, Minister Ahn underscored the importance of Korea-NATO cooperation, given the increasingly interconnected security environments of Europe and the Korean Peninsula, and requested the international community's support for peace on the Korean Peninsula and North Korea's denuclearization.

Minister Ahn met with Saleh bin Abdulrahman Al-Harbi, Commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard, and Major General Rashid Mohammed Al Shamsi, Commander of the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defense, to discuss key issues in defense and defense cooperation, exploring ways to strengthen their strategic partnership. Minister Ahn and Commander Al Shamsi agreed to expand cooperation in space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence, as well as to collaborate on the joint development and production of weapon systems as strategic partners in defense industry cooperation.

By Byeong-No, Yun