South Korea seeks to become 4th-largest global defence power, President Lee says

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Monday the country will devote a "larger-than-expected budget" in defence and aerospace research until 2030 as it seeks to build the world's fourth-largest defence industry.

Lee was speaking at South Korea's largest-ever arms fair, the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025, where firms showed off new unmanned and artificial intelligence-enhanced weapons from howitzers to suicide drones in pursuit of more global defence sales.