Geopolitical Instability and Escalating Conflicts: The Impact on East Asian Defence Innovation Systems
Ulf Michael Steindl: Geopolitical Instability and Escalating Conflicts: The Impact on East Asian Defence Innovation Systems. In the Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies.
Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies
15.04.2024
Utilising the analytical framework for defence innovation systems previously developed by the author, this article analyses the impact of geopolitical events on continued defence industrial reform efforts in China, Japan, and South Korea. The scope covers the period from late 2021 to March 2023, the changes in the organisational set-up of defence procurement agencies, regulatory frameworks, networks, and the defence industrial policy portfolio. The three countries are assessed as separate case studies, followed by a comparative analysis. The analysis showcases that the trends identified by Steindl (2022) for the period 1991–2021 have continued and partially accelerated. The reform efforts implemented during the period provide the base for the South Korean defence export successes in 2022, and can enable China and Japan to follow suit if market opportunities are effectively utilised and administrative hurdles decreased. The shifting international system also presents new challenges to the three defence industrial bases, most notably in respect to semiconductor supply chain reliance and increasing polarisation of competing blocks.