US worried South Korea would become EU's substitute weapons supplier
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Washington fears a quake in its weapons industry dominance.
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The K9 self-propelled howitzer. (Republic of Korea MND Defense Media Agency)
The US weapons industry is raising concerns that South Korea's supplying of weapons to Washington's allies in Europe would become an issue if Seoul were to be a long-term supplier, according to Wesley Hallman, a former Pentagon official who spoke with Sputnik.
Hallman worked in the Air Force for 27 years, had previously served in the Pentagon for the Joint Chief of Staff's strategic plans and policy directorate, and also worked as the Chief Air Force Liaison to the House of Representatives, where he worked with lawmakers on national security matters.
Last week, Politico reported that a number of Eastern European countries have ramped up arms purchases from South Korea.
"The real question over time is Korea as an interim demand filler or long-term substitutor," Hallman said about the report.
"The latter would be what the DIB [Defense Industrial Base] will most worry about."
'US Foreign Military Sales already byzantine'
Hallman said that the situation would be less concerning if Seoul wasn't supplying allies with bullets, bombs, basic land vehicles and other weapons as opposed to higher-end capabilities like the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
"Our FMS [Foreign Military Sales] is already byzantine," Hallman said. "Couple that with backlogs and supply chain delays, you have a customer demand that's not going to be filled at needed rates. So, it's logical they are looking at other sources of equipment/munitions."
Earlier this year, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin established a task force to look into how US arms sales processes are being overhauled in order to bolster competition with other competitors that enjoy the potential to provide arms to customers sooner.
Eastern European countries in the last few months decided to replenish their depleted stocks after months of sending military equipment to Ukraine, purchasing weapons from South Korea, according to Politico, revealing that deliveries from South Korea are much faster and cheaper.
South Korea has sold Eastern European countries mobile howitzers and small arms, the report added.
This summer and fall, Poland signed agreements with South Korean defense firms, and other European countries will be following suit, according to the report.
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