• Convergence Security Journal
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.27-35
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• 2013

There has been a adverse balance between Korea and U.S. in defense trade. This paper investigates the current status of the defense trade imbalance in terms of numerical values, and also analyzes the institutionalized barriers to Korea defense exporters imposed by laws and regulations. It is found that the amount of Korea defense import is several tenfold that of the export to U.S. in 2011. The barriers are analyzed to be the american laws and regulations. The buy american act is applied to the U.S government procurements and the Berry amendment is applied to the defense procurements. These two laws has been implemented by the defense federal acquisition regulation which allows U.S. Dept. of Defense to buy only american products. To overcome the barriers, Korea ought to sign a defense MOU with U.S., so that the buy american act and the Berry amendment can be waived.

• Convergence Security Journal
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• v.14 no.3_1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2014

It has been shown that the lack of sufficient defense industry cooperation between Korea and the US. The severe imbalance in defense trade between tow countries and Korea's weak defense industrial base has been a problem. This paper suggests the enhancement of defense industry cooperation with the US as a defense policy. The US policy has been changed to utilize the globalization of defense industries. The following cases were analyzed to show the policy change; The security of supply arrangement with 6 countries, the defense cooperation treaty with the United Kingdom and Australia. the defense Memorandum of Understanding with 23 countries, and the international cooperation with 8 countries for F-35 JSF program. Korea government needs to sign a defense MOU with U.S. and the defense industries are recommended to increase the opportunities of weapon system co-development and co-production. So that the Korea defense industry may improve competitiveness and to overcome the current weaknesses.