▲ President Lee Jae Myung (front, R) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7, 2026, on the sidelines of the NATO summit. (Yonhap)
▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L) and first lady Kim Hea Kyung arrive in Ankara, Turkey, aboard the presidential aircraft on July 7, 2026. (Yonhap)

president-NATO defense forum

Combining NATO know-how with S. Korea's technology will strengthen security of both: Lee

ANKARA, July 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stressed the need to enhance cooperation between his country and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Tuesday, insisting that combining NATO's vast experience with South Korea's advanced defense technology would boost the security capabilities of both sides.

Lee made the remarks in a keynote speech at the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum held on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, which runs from Tuesday to Wednesday.

"The security capabilities of both sides will be greatly strengthened when NATO's decades of know-how is combined with the reliable production capacity and proven technological prowess of the Republic of Korea," Lee said in a session, titled "Shared Values, Stronger Industrial Base." The Republic of Korea is the official name of South Korea.

The president stressed that the world is now in an era of uncertainty marked by geopolitical conflict, while the military application of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and drones, has become a decisive factor for modern warfare.

"Deterrence now hinges not only on the ability to produce weapons rapidly and reliably, but also on the resilience of global supply chains," Lee said.

"The front lines of national security are now the laboratories where advanced technologies are developed and the industrial sites where weapons are produced," he added. "In this new era, a nation's survival rests on the foundations of its defense industry. That is why we must discuss cooperation today."

Lee called for bolder action and speedier cooperation, proposing to expand joint research between South Korea and NATO on cutting-edge technologies, such as their existing ammunition and space cooperation programs.

The South Korean president also proposed elevating bilateral defense cooperation, currently centered on weapons system transactions, to a "Korea–NATO Defense Industry Partnership 2.0," which he said will involve jointly researching, producing and operating those systems.

Citing the International Energy Agency members' joint management of strategic petroleum reserves, Lee said, "I hope we can apply the same spirit to the defense industry and work together to develop similar cooperative mechanisms."

"The Republic of Korea will remain your most trusted partner. As a security cooperation partner dedicated to safeguarding global peace and prosperity, we will advance vigorously with NATO toward the goal of a safer world," he added.

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