4 days ago
Czech deputy minister urges NATO, South Korea to broaden defense ties
Radka Konderlova, deputy minister and director general of the Industrial Cooperation Division at the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic, underscored the strategic necessity for defense cooperation between NATO members and South Korea through industrial and tech collaboration.
During her visit to Seoul, Konderlova told The Korea Herald that deeper Czech-Korean defense industry cooperation and supply chain integration would benefit both sides, enabling Korean firms to expand regionally and Czech companies to join Korean acquisition projects.
'After the fall of the Iron Curtain, Czech companies had to shift from Soviet-era systems to NATO standards, which made them highly adaptable,' she said, referring to the strength of the Czech defense industry and its long tradition.
'(Czech companies) also have extensive global contacts from the past, which is a great advantage for Korean companies looking to broaden their customer base.'
'When we talk about broader defense cooperation, we're also referring to military-to-military contacts, which often happen through industrial cooperation,' she underscored.
Konderlova noted that Poland's tank deal with Korea boosted military ties, suggesting similar Czech-Korean industrial cooperation could do the same. She highlighted small and medium-sized Czech defense enterprises as agile, reliable partners for foreign collaboration.
'Our defense industrial base is largely composed of SMEs, which are more flexible and responsive to partners' needs. This makes them ideal collaborators,' Konderlova stated.
Calling the Korea-Czech defense engagement a 'win-win,' she stressed that the relationship should go beyond simple exports.
'It's not just about exporting. It's about building mutually beneficial real partnerships —multilateral cooperation,' she said.
Konderlova cited CZ's partnership with Korea's SNT Motiv, involving tech transfer and joint participation in Korean defense tenders, as a model of Czech-Korean defense cooperation.
She underlined the need for local content in defense deals, urging Korean firms to partner with Czech companies to stay competitive. Highlighting Korea's advanced systems, such as the K9 and Black Eagle tank, she praised the Defense Acquisition Program Administration as a key partner, and noted the Czech Defense Industrial Cooperation Division's role as a gateway for global tech. AI and drones, she added, are becoming central to modern defense.
She recommended emerging tech such as AI, drones and cybersecurity, citing shifting battlefields in Gaza and Ukraine. Konderlova believes there is major potential in combining Czech research and development with Korean industry, and urged both countries to stay open and proactive.
'Be open-minded. Don't be discouraged by the geographical distance between the Czech Republic and Korea,' is her message to Korean defense companies.
Konderlova thanked DAPA, highlighted strong diplomatic ties and emphasized her visit's role in boosting partnerships. She brought Czech firms for business-to-business meetings with Korean counterparts and urged mutual participation in defense exhibitions such as Korea's ADEX and Czech trade fairs.
Meanwhile, she also said that business developments surrounding the Dukovany nuclear power plant would bring an extensive Czech-Korea partnership.
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