This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Se Hyun Ahn Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Understanding Russian—South Korean Arms Trade

A Nontraditional Security Approach?

University of Seoul, South Korea, ahns{at}uos.ac.kr or ahns131{at}gmail.com

This article reviews both the developments of and problems within Russian—South Korean arms trade cooperation. From a nontraditional and economic security perspective, this article argues that Russia's interest in selling weapons to South Korea has been primarily motivated by economic concerns and that this trade has also secured the economic interests of both countries. By being a new consumer of Russian arms, South Korea can help to alleviate both the serious depression that occurred in Moscow's defense industry after the collapse of the Soviet Union and—Moscow's more immediate concern—Russia's debt to South Korea. In addition, the arms trade with Russia has enabled South Korea to purchase new weapons and space high technologies at very competitive prices. There nevertheless remain a number of obstacles in the Russian—Korean arms trade.

Key Words: arms trade • nontraditional security • economic security • Russian arms transfer • South Korean defense industry

Armed Forces & Society, Vol. 35, No. 3, 421-436 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0095327X08330817


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?