Seoul: South Korea's defense ministry announced that the country's defense spending as a percentage of its gross domestic product (GDP) is notably high in comparison to other major U.S. allies. This statement was made following the United States' call for its Asian allies to adhere to a "global standard" of allocating 5 percent of GDP towards defense.

According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea has been identified as one of the key U.S. allies with a high defense spending ratio relative to its GDP. The ministry highlighted that this increase in defense spending is in response to the significant security challenges posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The ministry further emphasized South Korea's commitment to bolstering its defense capabilities and maintaining regional peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

For the current year, South Korea's defense expenditure reached 61.2 trillion won (approximately US$44.6 billion), which constitutes 2.32 percent of its GDP. This figure represents a 3.1 percent increase from the previous year, based on ministry data. When compared to other Asian and European nations, South Korea's defense spending ratio surpasses Japan's 1.16 percent, Britain's 2.21 percent, and Germany's 1.44 percent, as reported by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Meeting the 5 percent GDP defense spending standard proposed by the United States would necessitate South Korea to more than double its current defense budget to roughly 132 trillion won. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, emphasized the need for all allied nations, including those in Asia, to adopt this new standard for defense spending. The Pentagon reaffirmed this stance, indicating that South Korea and other Asian allies should align with the global standard initially suggested by U.S. President Donald Trump for European allies.