Modern Diplomacy: "Japan and South Korea: Vital partners in the New Uzbekistan"

 

 

 

"Japan and South Korea: Vital partners in the New Uzbekistan"

Wilder Alejandro Sanchez and Marin Ekstrom

Modern Diplomacy

28 October 2025

Published: https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/10/29/japan-and-south-korea-vital-partners-in-the-new-uzbekistan/

Uzbekistan has recently commenced construction of a new airport in Tashkent, valued at $2.5 billion, as a symbol of the country’s reinvention.

 

Uzbekistan has recently commenced construction of a new airport in Tashkent, valued at $2.5 billion, as a symbol of the country’s reinvention. The project, slated to begin operations in 2029, aims to serve as Central Asia’s key aviation hub by supporting more than 40 take-offs and landings per hour and serving 20 million passengers annually. Economists predict that increased air traffic at the airport could generate $27 billion in annual revenue and create thousands of new jobs.

To achieve this ambitious goal, Tokyo and Seoul will be critical partners: Japan’s Sojitz Corporation, which has extensive experience in the aviation sector, has agreed to invest millions of dollars and share technical expertise. As for South Korea, the Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) signed a $24.5 million consulting contract to provide operational and service support for the development of the new Tashkent airport.

 

Quoted in: "El ascenso de Corea del Sur como potencia armamentística global: innovación, rapidez y músculo industrial"

"El ascenso de Corea del Sur como potencia armamentística global: innovación, rapidez y músculo industrial"

By: Pedro Fernaud

EscudoDigital

6 January 2025

Published: https://www.escudodigital.com/internacional/ascenso-corea-sur-como-potencia-armamentistica-global-innovacion-rapidez-musculo-industrial_61666_102.html

Cómo Corea del Sur gana terreno en América Latina

Uno de los ejes vertebradores de la estrategia de desarrollo surcoreana en materia armamentística es su expansión en América Latina. Para descifrar las claves de su incursión en ese mercado, resulta de gran interés el artículo El creciente papel de Corea del Sur como gran exportador de armas: perspectivas de futuro en América Latina, elaborado por Hoshik Nam y Wilder Alejandro Sánchez.

WOTR: "South Korea’s Growing Role as a Major Arms Exporter: Future Prospects in Latin America"

 

 "South Korea’s Growing Role as a Major Arms Exporter: Future Prospects in Latin America"

Wilder Alejandro Sanchez and Hoshik Nam

War on the Rocks

Commentary

21 August, 2024

Originally published: https://warontherocks.com/2024/08/south-koreas-growing-role-as-a-major-arms-exporter-future-prospects-in-latin-america/

The last few years have seen a surge in defense spending, particularly in regard to conventional defense technologies. “We’ve had a huge increase in demand from our European allies and partners over the last few years since the … invasion by the Russians in Ukraine,” Defense Security Cooperation Agency director James Hursch observed recently. U.S. industries are not the only suppliers benefiting from this surge in demand. South Korea has also dramatically expanded its global role as a defense technology supplier. In 2023, South Korea became one of the top 10 arms exporters in the world, exporting $14 billion worth of defense technology to 12 countries.

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The Diplomat: " Navigating Next-Gen Air Power in the Indo-Pacific"

 

"Navigating Next-Gen Air Power in the Indo-Pacific"

Wilder Alejandro Sanchez

Asia Defense

The Diplomat

15 July 2024

Originally published: https://thediplomat.com/2024/07/navigating-next-gen-air-power-in-the-indo-pacific/

The United States’ Indo-Pacific adversaries are already working on their next-generation fighter jets. Washington can’t fall behind.

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International Policy Digest: "Don’t Discount the Power of Educational Diplomacy"

 

"Don’t Discount the Power of Educational Diplomacy"

Wilder Alejandro Sanchez and Marin Ekstrom

17 June 2024

International Policy Digest

Originally published: https://intpolicydigest.org/don-t-discount-the-power-of-educational-diplomacy/

Kazakhstan, the largest and most economically developed Central Asian state, is working to strengthen ties with its East Asian counterparts. While much attention is often given to China, South Korea plays a significant role in Kazakhstan’s foreign policy priorities. In 2023, Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared South Korea a “key partner in Asia.”

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Breaking Defense: "With back-to-back deals in Peru, South Korea defense industry expands South American foothold"

 

"With back-to-back deals in Peru, South Korea defense industry expands South American foothold"

Wilder Alejandro Sanchez

Breaking Defense

20 May, 2024

Originally published: https://breakingdefense.com/2024/05/with-back-to-back-deals-in-peru-south-korea-defense-industry-expands-south-american-foothold/

A new shipbuilding deal could be a test case that, if successful, could lead for years more work and millions more in deals for Seoul, in Peru and South America.

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Shephard Media: AUSA 2021: Taekyung looks to break into the US market

 

"AUSA 2021: Taekyung looks to break into the US market"

Wilder Alejandro Sanchez

Shephard Media

October 11, 2021

Originally published: https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/air-warfare/ausa-2021-taekyung-looks-to-break-into-the-us-mark/

South Korean-made Searchlight Drone platform can be used for EO/IR reconnaissance, logistics operations, surveillance patrol, object tracking and warfighting experiments.

Taekyung Electronics presented its LED Searchlight Drone UAV at the AUSA 2021 exhibition in Washington DC, as the South Korean company hopes to break into the US market.

 

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CIMSEC: Friends from Afar: U.S. and South Korea Coast Guards Help South America Combat IUU Fishing

 

 

"Friends from Afar: U.S. and South Korea Coast Guards Help South America Combat IUU Fishing"

Wilder Alejandro Sanchez

The Southern Tide

Center for International Maritime Security

February 24, 2021

Originally published: https://cimsec.org/friends-from-afar-u-s-and-south-korea-coast-guards-help-south-america-combat-iuu-fishing/

 

The Southern Tide

Written by Wilder Alejandro Sanchez, The Southern Tide addresses maritime security issues throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. It discusses the challenges regional navies face including limited defense budgets, inter-state tensions, and transnational crimes. It also examines how these challenges influence current and future defense strategies, platform acquisitions, and relations with global powers.

“We focus on partnerships…Our partners want to work with us. They want the advantage of the United States education, training, exercises and military equipment. It’s the best in the world. And so it’s up to us to deliver that in a way that’s relevant and also provides a return on investment for American taxpayer. So that is our focus.” –Navy Adm. Craig S. Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command, before the Senate Armed Services Committee July 9, 2019.

By Wilder Alejandro Sanchez

Introduction

A deployment by the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Stone (WMSL-758) to the South Atlantic, and two coast guard patrol vessels donated by the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) to the Ecuadorian Navy, are some of the latest initiatives by South America’s partners to help regional navies combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. As large, extra-hemispheric fishing fleets continue to actively operate close to South American waters, often crossing into the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of regional states, navies require additional ships and the physical presence of partner navies to combat these crimes. In the vast waters of the South Pacific and South Atlantic, every ship counts.

 

 

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Shephard Media: Vessel transfers epitomise South Korean search for bigger role in South America

 

"Vessel transfers epitomise South Korean search for bigger role in South America"

Wilder Alejandro Sanchez

Shephard Media

October 14, 2020

Originally published: https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/naval-warfare/premium-vessel-transfers-epitomise-south-korean-se/

 A noticeable trend in recent years is for South Korea to transfer or donate naval vessels to South American countries

The Colombian Navy has taken command of Almirante Tono, formerly the Pohang-class corvette ROKS Iksan in service with the Republic of Korea Navy. 

The vessel (pictured) will arrive in Colombia in mid-November, as part of an apparent strategy by Seoul to become a major supplier of defence technology to South American ...

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Shephard Media: Peru lays out naval modernisation plans

 

 

 "Peru lays out naval modernisation plans"

 Wilder Alejandro Sanchez

Shephard Media

November 4, 2020

Originally published: https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/naval-warfare/premium-peru-lays-out-naval-modernisation-plans/

 

 New OPVs will be joined by four logistics vessels, while upgrade work continues on four diesel-electric submarines

The Peruvian Navy (MGP) plans to acquire up to three new OPVs to improve maritime patrol operations. The service has not disclosed the exact design it intends to procure but it requires vessels with 1,500-2,000t displacement and the capability to transport a helicopter.

State-run shipyard Servicios Industriales de ...

 

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