Anduril enters South Korean market, partners with Korean Air on UAS production

Anduril Industries is expanding into South Korea, opening a new office in Seoul. The company has also appointed a new local country leader and is forming partnerships with Korean companies to develop defense technologies for the region.

The move coincides with a two-day visit to the Republic of Korea by company founder Palmer Luckey, who is meeting with government officials and industry leaders.

The Seoul office is Anduril’s first in South Korea. John Kim has been appointed vice president and head of Anduril Korea. Kim previously led Boeing Korea’s defense business and served as the company’s interim president. He brings extensive experience working with the U.S. military and South Korea’s defense sector. The company plans to expand its local team and expects to double its headcount within 12 months.

South Korea’s Ministry of Defense has prioritized artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and networked weapons as part of a modernization effort coordinated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Military planners say current defense systems are insufficient to deter or prevail in future conflicts.

As part of the expansion, Anduril will sign a contract with Korean Air’s Aerospace Business Division to co-develop unmanned aerial systems, license production of additional Anduril products for the Indo-Pacific market and explore the possibility of building a manufacturing and production facility in South Korea. The agreement is expected to establish a cooperative defense technology framework in the region.

“Anduril is committed to helping the Republic of Korea in its mission to develop a technologically advanced, highly networked armed force with fewer but more precise platforms,” Kim said. “Our new office and team expansion is further demonstration of this ongoing commitment.”

Founded in 2017, Anduril employs more than 6,000 people and is valued at over $30 billion. The company has delivered advanced defense capabilities to the U.S. Department of Defense, the Australian Defence Force and the U.K. Ministry of Defence. The new Seoul office will expand Anduril’s growing footprint in the Indo-Pacific.