South Korea’s rise as major arms exporter in Asia

South Korea has set its sights on becoming the world's fourth-largest maker of weapons by 2027. - AFP

SEOUL (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): In a gesture of goodwill years ago, when the Philippines was boosting its weak naval defence capabilities amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea, South Korea made the decision to donate a soon-to-retire corvette warship to the country.

The Chungju was decommissioned in 2016 at the age of 29 and transferred to the Philippine Navy in 2019 for a token fee of US$100 (S$136).