The South Korean Ministry of National Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, focusing on drone and counter-drone cooperation and market participation.
Through this MOU, both parties agreed to establish a joint supply chain for drone and counter-drone systems and collaborate on standardization efforts.
The U.S. plans to enable the registration of South Korean products on its Drone and Counter-Drone Online Trading Platform, slated for launch this year. Both nations anticipate this collaboration will enhance interoperability of drone and counter-drone equipment while reducing logistics costs.
To boost the efficiency and compatibility of joint operations, the two countries will also pursue standardization of their drone and counter-drone systems. In the near term, they aim to adopt common standards for small drone batteries and establish a rapid common standard system through ongoing information exchange and joint research.
Jeon Jun-beom, Director of the Defense Artificial Intelligence (AI) Planning Bureau, expressed hope that the MOU signing will accelerate the establishment of common standards and certification systems.
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Patrick Mason stated that this collaboration in drone and counter-drone systems, along with increased market participation, will help allied nations like South Korea overcome existing acquisition hurdles and swiftly operationalize drone systems. It’s committed to ensuring that cutting-edge technologies are made available to U.S.-South Korean joint forces.