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The Strategic Cooperation Forum for the Global Leap of Republic of Korea Defense AI under the slogan "GLOBAL K-AI FORCE ECOSYSTEM 2030" / Photo courtesy of the Korea Association of Defense Industry Studies (KADIS)

South Korea's defense industry, aiming to enter the ranks of the top three global artificial intelligence powerhouses, is initiating an expansion of its global footprint through a massive private-led technology alliance.

Key security and defense institutions, including the Korea International Volunteer Association (KIVA), the Korea Association of Defense Industry Studies (KADIS), and the Military AI Convergence Association (MAICA), are joining forces to establish an omnidirectional cooperation framework for AI innovation and the global commercialization of K-defense.

The three organizations announced that they will co-host the "GLOBAL K-AI FORCE ECOSYSTEM 2030: Strategic Cooperation Forum for the Global Leap of Republic of Korea Defense AI" in Seoul on the 30th and sign a comprehensive and strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU).

This agreement aims to pool the international networks, academic research capabilities, and defense AI convergence know-how possessed by each institution to respond swiftly to the rapidly changing global security environment and the accelerating modernization of weapon systems.

Recently, the global defense market has been facing a paradigm shift where AI-based autonomous combat systems, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) formations, and real-time battlefield data analysis capabilities determine victory or defeat beyond simple firepower competition.

Park Seung-joo, president of KIVA, who will deliver the keynote address at the forum, plans to present a blueprint for creating an AI ecosystem that encompasses the public, private, military, industrial, academic, and research sectors through the "GLOBAL K-AI FORCE ECOSYSTEM 2030" vision.

In particular, the formation of this united front is expected to contribute to advancing the global value chain of South Korea's defense industry as a whole, extending beyond the export competitiveness of individual corporations.

Representatives of each organization, including KIVA President Park Seung-joo, KADIS Chairman Chae Woo-seok, and MAICA President Park Rae-ho, plan to listen to on-the-ground insights from member companies during the event and coordinate in depth on practical joint implementation plans for global commercialization.

Defense experts assess that the strategic decision made by these three institutions will serve as a decisive turning point for K-defense to secure world-class AI defense capabilities and establish unrivaled dominance in the global market.

                                                                                                               Ku Pil-hyun