Moon Keun-sik
The international order is undergoing rapid transformation. As the U.S.-led unipolar system gradually weakens and China's military and economic influence continues to expand, the Indo-Pacific region has emerged as a focal point for global security. Security tensions surrounding the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait are steadily increasing, prompting regional countries to seek new frameworks of cooperation to safeguard their national interests and security.
Under these circumstances, Korea can no longer remain merely a beneficiary of security provided by the U.S. It must expand its role as an active participant and contributor to regional security cooperation. At the heart of this effort lies defense diplomacy.
Defense diplomacy is far more than the sale of weapons. It is a comprehensive diplomatic instrument encompassing military cooperation, education and training, technology sharing, industrial collaboration, and the cultivation of strategic trust. Major defence-exporting nations such as the United States, France, and the United Kingdom have long used arms exports and military cooperation to strengthen alliances, expand partnerships and enhance their international influence. Defense is not merely an industry; it is a powerful tool of diplomacy and an effective means of implementing national strategy.
