South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that South Korea will step up plans to build a self-reliant military by significantly bolstering its defense capabilities, while continuing efforts to resume talks with North Korea.’We will significantly strengthen our national defense capabilities and make sure we realize our hope for self-reliant defense,’ Lee said during the speech for his administration's first annual budget.In particular, Lee said South Korea aims to turn its defense force into a ‘smart and strong’ military by using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.Lee outlined a 728 trillion-won spending plan for 2026, up 8.1% from this year, highlighting full-scale investment in the AI industry.'(The government) will significantly expand investment to open the era of AI and lay the ground for future growth,’ he said, adding that the government earmarked 10.1 trillion won for AI transformation to help South Korea become one of the world's top three AI powers, sharply up from 3.3 trillion won this year.Investment in research and development across strategic industries — including AI, content and defense — also surged 19.3% from this year to a record high of 35.3 trillion won.Lee said the government plans to create a 150 trillion-won public-private fund over the next five years to nurture strategic industries driving economic growth.For defense, the government allocated 66.3 trillion won, up 8.2% from this year, to upgrade conventional weapon systems into cutting-edge capabilities and accelerate the realization of ‘self-reliant defense.”Relying on external forces for our defense is a matter that hurts national pride,’ said Lee, who has pledged to retake wartime operational control from Washington within his term, which ends in 2030.Meanwhile, Lee said South Korea's tariff deal with the United States secured tariff levels equivalent to those of competing countries in key export sectors, such as automobiles and semiconductors, establishing a foundation for fair competition on ‘a level playing field.’
