Key Points
- South Korea’s National Assembly authorised a 2026 protection funds of roughly $44.7 billion, reflecting a 7.5% improve over the earlier yr.
- The funds allocates $6 billion to strengthen the “three-axis” deterrence system in opposition to North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats.
South Korea has finalized its nationwide protection funds for 2026 at KRW 65.8642 trillion (roughly $44.7 billion), representing a 7.5% improve over the 2025 allocation, the Ministry of National Defense stated on December 3.
Although the unique funds proposal submitted to the National Assembly anticipated an 8.2% improve, lawmakers lowered the ultimate determine by KRW 430.5 billion throughout deliberations. According to the ministry, this discount displays anticipated execution charges and undertaking standing assessments.
“The salaries of non-commissioned officers and civilian personnel have been lowered as a result of the preliminary plan accounted for extra employees than are at present serving,” a protection official stated. “Some capital undertaking budgets have been additionally trimmed based mostly on projected bid costs falling under allotted quantities.”
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Despite these changes, the ministry stated there can be no disruption to subsequent yr’s protection operations.
Several classes noticed will increase or new allocations throughout the Assembly assessment. These embody obligation pay for service members, shifting allowances, management position compensation for majors and Grade-4 civilian employees, long-service well being screenings, and a drone warfare coaching program.
Duty pay was elevated to KRW 30,000 ($20) per weekday and KRW 100,000 ($68) per vacation, aligning with charges for civil servants. Moving allowances have been expanded to cowl two situations of ladder truck utilization per transfer, slightly than one, addressing the excessive frequency of relocations amongst navy personnel.
A brand new management stipend will present KRW 50,000 ($34) month-to-month to division heads and KRW 30,000 ($20) to people in solo command positions. Additionally, the drone coaching initiative—championed by Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek—was expanded from KRW 20.5 billion ($14 million) to KRW 33 billion ($22 million) to fund mass acquisition of economic coaching drones and the coaching of drone instructors. The initiative goals to coach 500,000 personnel for drone-related operations.
The 2026 protection funds improve is the biggest since 2019, when the expansion charge additionally reached 8.2%.
Of the full, KRW 45.8989 trillion ($31.2 billion) is allotted for drive operations (up 5.8%), whereas KRW 19.9653 trillion ($13.5 billion is earmarked for functionality growth (up 11.9%).
The funds for the Korea Three-Axis System, which counters North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats, was elevated by 21.3% to KRW 8.8387 trillion ($6 billion). This consists of KRW 5.2639 trillion ($3.5 billion) for “Kill Chain” strike capabilities such because the KF-21’s preliminary manufacturing, KRW 1.8126 trillion ($1.2 billion) for Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD), KRW 712.1 billion ($484 million) for Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR), and KRW 1.0501 trillion ($713 million) for surveillance, reconnaissance, and command-and-control techniques.
Defense R&D for 2026 was elevated by 19.4% to KRW 5.8396 trillion ($3.9 billion), highlighting the nation’s continued deal with indigenous navy innovation.
South Korea’s protection spending trajectory underscores its sustained funding in superior protection capabilities amid persistent regional tensions, notably with North Korea.
