Next Year's Defense Budget Set at 73 Trillion Won... Nuclear-Powered Submarine Budget Included for the First Time
Defense budget set at 73.2777 trillion won, strengthening security through investment in advanced military power From nuclear submarines, the KF-21, to expanded drone capabilities, quickly check the key points of the budget
The government has allocated next year’s defense budget at 73.2777 trillion won, up 8.2% from this year. This is the first time the defense budget has exceeded 70 trillion won, and the ratio to GDP is expected to be 2.33%.
Power operation expenses increased to 50.0416 trillion won, and defense capability improvement expenses rose to 22.7112 trillion won. The Ministry of National Defense said it will respond to changes in the security environment and the decline in military manpower resources by transforming the military from a force centered on personnel to one centered on advanced technology.
This budget proposal includes, for the first time, about 100 billion won for the introduction of nuclearpowered submarines. In addition, the production budget for the KF21 has been expanded to 3.3 trillion won, and the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles and longrange surfacetoair missiles to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats will also be accelerated.
To respond to the decline in military manpower resources, the budget also includes expanding the standing reserve force, a pilot project for outsourcing noncombat duties to civilians, strengthening drone capabilities and antidrone defense systems, and improving compensation for military officers.