Thailand’s Defence Minister Explores Arms Industry Cooperation with South Korea

(CTN News) – Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang met with his South Korean counterpart to discuss bilateral arms industry collaboration during an official visit to the East Asian country that ended on Saturday.

According to a source, Sutin indicated Thailand’s desire to work with the Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) to help enhance Thailand’s defense industry during his meeting with South Korea’s Defence Minister Shin Won-sik.

“The Defence Ministry is particularly interested in cooperating with the DAPA, and we expect mutual benefit for both countries in promoting the defence industry,” he was reported as adding.

Sutin complimented South Korea’s defense sector, highlighting DAPA’s importance. He emphasized that both nations had defense cooperation, with Thailand purchasing frigates and combat aircraft from South Korea and South Korea participating in Thailand’s annual Cobra Gold military exercise.

The DAPA is the South Korean government’s executive body, founded in 2006 under the Ministry of National Defence to oversee initiatives to improve defense capacity, procure armaments, and develop defense companies.

The Thai defense commander met with Shin on Thursday at the Ministry of National Defence in Seoul, where he was on an official visit from March 27 to 30.

During their discussion, the South Korean defense minister thanked Thailand’s Little Tigers battalion for defending the South during the 1950-53 Korean War. According to the source, he claimed that their courage led to peace on the Korean peninsula and helped South Korea thrive.

Thailand was one of 22 countries that flew the United Nations flag and contributed troops and other types of aid to South Korea during the Korean War.

According to South Korean media outlet KBS World, Shin thanked Thailand and its military for their ongoing contributions to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Shin also briefed Sutin on South Korea’s weapons systems and expressed optimism that South Korean companies would participate in Thailand’s military modernization initiative.

In the meantime, Sutin stated that his trip was intended to explore options for potential arms industry cooperation, including visits to major defense corporations, according to Yonhap.

In September, the South Korean defense chief invited Sutin to the Seoul Defence Dialogue and the defense ministerial conference of UN Command member states, which South Korea will hold in November.

The Thai defense minister also visited the UN Command, the international military force established to assist South Korea during and after the Korean War, where General Paul LaCamera, its commander, greeted him.

The American general commended Thailand for its ongoing commitment to sending soldiers to work at UN Command. Sutin visited with the Thai soldiers stationed at the command before thanking the commander for his support and instruction.