South Korea inks MOU with Brazil to bolster cooperation in defence industry

The agreement was signed between Seok Jong-gun, South Korea’s minister of the Defence Acquisition Program Administration, and Heraldo Luiz Rodrigues, Brazil’s secretary of defence, during a signing ceremony earlier in the day.

The MOU centred on facilitating cooperation on research, development and the purchase of defence supplies, expanding industrial cooperation and strengthening personnel exchanges between the two nations.

Under the deal, the two countries will cooperate in areas, including ground, sea, aerospace and satellite sectors, and share their mutual experiences in the field of advanced research and development of defence technology.

As the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic relations with South Korea in 1959, Brazil is both a major economic and defence player, producing leading military aircraft. It is home to one of the world’s leading aerospace companies, Embraer.

Earlier on Monday, it was announced that the state arms procurement agency has signed an MOU with Brazil’s aerospace company Embraer to expand industrial cooperation.

The Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) inked the agreement on the sidelines of the ongoing Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition 2025 at KINTEX in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul.

Under the MOU, the two sides will work together to expand the participation of South Korean parts suppliers in Embraer’s global supply chain and to explore opportunities for the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer to take part in defence projects in South Korea.

Embraer has delivered more than 9,000 aircraft worldwide since its founding in 1969 and recently expanded its presence in the military aircraft market with its C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, according to DAPA.