Lee proposes new phase of Korea-NATO defense ties toward co-production

ANKARA, Turkey — President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for a new phase in defense industrial cooperation between South Korea and NATO, urging the two sides to move beyond arms sales toward joint weapons development, production and operation.

Speaking at the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum during his first NATO summit as South Korea’s president, Lee proposed a “Korea-NATO Defense Industry Partnership 2.0,” positioning South Korea as a “trusted partner” rather than simply a supplier of weap ...