UKRAINE AND THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA: COOPERATION IN SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL AND MILITARY-DEFENSE SPHERES
Authors: Федорів Ірина ,   Тернопільський національний педагогічний університет імені Володимира Гнатюка
Published: July 2024

The goal of the article is to outline the current state and prospects of cooperation between Ukraine and the Republic of Korea in the scientific, technical and military-defense spheres in the context of the current geopolitical situation. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, and systematicity. General scientific methods (generalization, analysis, synthesis, comparison) and special historical methods (problematic-chronological, historical-genetic, historical-comparative, historical-typological) are used. The scientific novelty lies in a complex analysis of the content, main directions and features of the interstate policy of Ukraine and the Republic of Korea on cooperation in the scientific, technical and military-defense spheres. Conclusions. It is emphasized that today’s geopolitical challenges, including the Russian-Ukrainian war, encourage the leadership of our country and South Korea to deepen Ukrainian-Korean interstate cooperation on the basis of common interests. The legislative framework governing the areas of relations studied in the article, as well as the signed memorandums, treaties and agreements are studied. It is found that during the cooperation with the Republic of Korea, funding for joint research projects was agreed upon, primarily in the fields of bio-, nano-, information and communication technologies, physics, and aerospace. The main promising areas of Ukrainian-Korean cooperation for Ukraine are electronics, computer science, semiconductor technologies, optics, applied physics and chemistry, biotechnology, and radiation medicine. Cooperation between the states in training relevant personnel, joint symposia and conferences held in this regard are analysed. The experience of South Korea in the development of the military and defense sphere is elucidated. It is emphasized that the country is interesting for us in the context of selling and transferring defense products to us, as well as modernizing our military capabilities. It is proven that after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, cooperation in the military and defense sphere between the countries has intensified, and the key areas, joint projects, and various aspects of such cooperation to date are analyzed. Interdependence of this process on the current geopolitical situation is shown. The author emphasizes the consistency of the Republic of Korea’s position on supporting Ukraine’s peace initiatives, the importance of sharing experience, technologies, and innovations. The priorities and prospects for such cooperation were outlined. Ukraine is interested in the Republic of Korea as a world leader in the export of certain types of defense products, the country needs the support of the Republic of Korea for post-war recovery and reconstruction, and is interested in financial investments from the East Asian country. Based on the study, positive predictions can be made about the prospects for further cooperation in the studied areas.