Poland Is Just the Beginning! K-Defense Breaks Into the Middle East and Latin America; The Next 5 Years Will Decide Its True Fate. What Is the Next Export Target? (LIG Nex1) Defense Times CEO Ahn Seung-beom

Summary

Ahn Seung-beom, CEO of Defense Times, discusses how K-defense exports are expanding beyond Poland and Eastern Europe into the Middle East and Latin America. He highlights Saudi Arabia as the most concrete Middle East opportunity, while the UAE is seen as slower and more demanding on technology transfer. The interview details LIG Nex1's air-defense and guided-weapons export potential, KAI's trainer/light-attack and KF-21 efforts, and the need for Korean naval shipbuilders to expand exports. Ahn argues the next four to five years are critical for K-defense to bridge from existing backlog to new mass-produced weapons.

• K-defense exports are spreading from Eastern Europe to the Middle East and Latin America.
• Saudi Arabia is viewed as a more certain defense market than the UAE due to budget, Vision 2030, and replacement demand.
• LIG Nex1's Cheongung-II and future L-SAM are key Middle East air-defense export candidates.
• KAI is pursuing US Navy trainer and Finland FA-50 opportunities while upgrading KF-21.
• Naval exports are a remaining frontier, with HD Hyundai already selling to Peru and the Philippines and Hanwha Ocean urged to join, especially for Canada's submarine program.
• The next four to five years are critical for new Korean weapons to reach mass production and sustain follow-up exports.
• Africa outside North Africa is viewed as difficult, while Southeast Asia provides steady but smaller orders.