South Korea's Ambition to Dominate Global Arms Trade
South Korea is using its $13.7 billion arms deal with Poland to establish itself as a major player in the global arms market. The deal has created consortiums of South Korean and Polish companies that will build weapons, maintain fighter jets, and provide the framework to eventually supply other European states. South Korean companies are offering high-quality weapons faster than other countries, while Poland is offering manufacturing capacity and a sales pipeline into Europe. The partnership provides a blueprint for using international public-private partnerships and consortiums to extend Seoul's reach and achieve its ambition to be one of the world's biggest weapons suppliers.