Hanwha Group doubled down on the role of Korean defense companies and their global partners in securing sovereign defense capabilities as the conglomerate’s three defense units — Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean — held a defense forum Monday in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, as part of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 2025.
“We have to wisely and responsibly prepare for peace in today’s world where great changes are happening with the integration of artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies,” said Hanwha Aerospace CEO Son Jae-il in his welcoming remarks at the Hanwha Future Tech Forum at the Gyeongju National Museum.
“As Hanwha’s technologies are technologies for protection, not provocation, we are going to realize ‘Technology for Peace’ through global partnerships. Hanwha is continuously investing in future frontier sectors such as AI, smart manufacturing, space and energy while expanding trust networks of global security cooperation.”
According to Hanwha, about 270 CEOs, military officials and security experts from home and abroad joined. Korean participants included Korea Aerospace Industries, LIG Nex1, Korean Air, HJ Heavy Industries and Poongsan. Global defense groups such as L3Harris, Northrop Grumman International, BAE Systems, Safran, Airbus, WB Group, Babcock Canada and GA-ASI also participated.
Hanwha’s defense forum featured presentations from former and current military officials on the changing security environments in key regions such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Australia.
Christopher Pyne, former Australian Defense Minister, laid out how technological innovations and expanding cooperation between defense industries can strengthen a country’s security at a time of strategic competition.
Ralph Wooddisse, commander of NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps — who took part in the forum via video — underscored the importance of international cooperation and technological preparedness to handle the shifting aspects of war under the theme of lessons learned from European frontlines.
Kang Eun-ho, former chief of Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, shed light on the future of the Korean defense industry and how it needs to focus on securing cutting-edge technology to strengthen competitiveness in the global market.
As a global defense company, Hanwha Group said the forum reaffirmed its role and responsibility to bolster global security and technology networks. In particular, it added that the event confirmed its role as a strategy partner that could establish practical platforms for cooperation between militaries, industries, academia and governments and lead innovation in the global defense ecosystem.
hwkan@heraldcorp.com
