South Korea’s defense industry faces significant obstacles in its efforts to expand into the European market, despite recent successes in countries like Poland and Romania, as the European Union (EU) works to bolster its own defense capabilities and reduce reliance on non-European suppliers.

The EU Commission stated in March its plans to raise the proportion of EU-made weapons purchases within the bloc from 20% to 60% by 2035. Similarly, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the importance of buying European-made military equipment to ensure Europe’s defense autonomy.