The Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIR) hosted the Romania-Korea Defense Industry Day economic forum on June 19, 2025, in Bucharest. The event focused on strengthening economic ties between Romania and the Republic of Korea, particularly within the defense sector.
CCIR President Mihai Daraban stated, “at this moment, relations between Romania and the Republic of Korea are very good. We at CCIR were the ones who, in the middle of the pandemic, managed to bring the most important Korean players in the defense industry to Romania. As a result, last year many projects in this field were formalized, with agreements signed with at least 30 Romanian companies that produce various subassemblies that will later be part of the finished product. We are thus talking about production in Romania, about new jobs, and about the involvement of Romanian companies in large-scale joint projects. I hope Romanian authorities understand this. The Republic of Korea must be treated specially, considering their desire to invest in Romania. At CCIR level, we will monitor the proper development of contracts between the two states and will ensure that the activity of Korean companies in Romania is not blocked by bureaucracy. One thing is certain: if we lose this opportunity too, it means we are lost as well.”
Byungro Choi, Vice President of the Korea Defense Industry Association (KDIA), highlighted during his remarks that “this event is very important for the exchange of experience between companies from the two states, which can thus identify new opportunities for joint economic projects. Romania is a NATO and EU member and plays a central role in European security, while the Republic of Korea is consolidating its role as a global partner in the defense industry through the technology and procurement capabilities it possesses. Together with CCIR, I am convinced we will develop a model of strategic cooperation between Romania’s defense modernization plan and Korean defense industry technologies.”
The forum marked recent progress made by both countries toward formalizing several significant projects involving partnerships between Korean defense firms and at least 30 Romanian manufacturers producing components for finished products.