South Korea supercharges defense budget to record levels
September 10, 2026
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — South Korea will spend more on its military in the year ahead than it ever has before. The country’s defense budget is set to rise 8.2%, after government leaders announced the increased expenditure on Sept. 3.
The boosted defense spending of KRW 73.28 trillion – around $53.9 billion – comes amid deepening security concerns about North Korea, China and…