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South Korea launches ‘Offset Promising List'

By Jon Grevatt |

The chart above shows South Koreaʼs total military expenditure, of which the core defence budget is a part. Janes Defence Budgets forecasts that the countryʼs total expenditure will grow to more than USD60 billion by the end of this decade. (Janes Defence Budgets)

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has introduced lists of products and services that it wants to prioritise through the country's defence offset policy.

DAPA said on 15 November that its newly published ‘Offset Promising List' is aimed at supporting enhanced local involvement in foreign contractors' offset projects.

According to DAPA, the new list identifies “preferred offset partners and items for foreign contractors to consider during their offset negotiations”. The list is accessible through DAPA's online defence exhibition portal, https://defense-korea.com.

Aligned with South Korea's defence offset guidelines, which are administered by DAPA, the Offset Promising List covers two sets of potential activities – technology co-operation and component manufacturing.

Technology co-operation is geared towards facilitating foreign contractor transfers of defence technology and knowledge to the South Korean industry.

DAPA's new offset list identifies 276 priority technology co-operation areas and the local companies involved in developing the capabilities. Identified technologies include magnetic sensors, sensors for submarine-launched weapons, air-bursting munitions, actuation systems, transmissions, lasers, electronic warfare equipment, and radomes.

Also included in technology co-operation are maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) activities – for systems including a range of engines and propulsion systems – and joint licensed production of capabilities including engines for naval vessels and military aircraft.

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