The defense industry holds promising potential that could be a new growth engine of competitiveness with large-scale investments and integration of cutting-edge technologies.The advanced countries, including G7 and ex-communist countries, have been focusing on strategies to enforce their industrial competitiveness by reforming defense industry policies. These countries have regarded the development of defense industries as a tool to support their own and their allies’ homeland securities.However, the ideological disputes are gradually being dissolved while the defense expenditures are reduced because of problems with economics and job security issues. Thus, these countries are redirecting polices by reinforcing their manufacturing businesses, which build on their advanced defense industries and promote exports to create jobs. According to global trends, international defense industries are carrying out “large-scale” restructuring by using aggressive strategies to take over the defense export market.Traditionally, the defense industry in South Korea has prioritized a timely procurement policy for securing military strength against North Korea and its self-reliant defense capability. The defense industry is focusing on this acquisition policy for its domestic military needs, development, production, and support.Recently, the South Korean government had reinforced various policies and programs to promote defense exports; however, they had difficulties due to low brand awareness, low price, technology, and quality competitiveness. In addition, export promotion has been neglected by the government even though its role is critically important, as the main requirement is military force itself.In this study, we review the competitiveness of each weapon system in the South Korean defense industry. To this end, surveys targeting professional groups were conducted. The results are used to suggest strategies to improve the defense industry and export competitiveness.The competitiveness surveys of domestic defense were widely conducted in 260 domestic defense firms and 120 defense professionals both in DAPA and DTaQ. Defense competitiveness was divided into price, quality, export competitiveness, and government competitiveness for each weapon system
