President’s T.O.P. plan targets global arms dominance but lacks the central authority needed to secure technology

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s Together, On Speed, Performance (T.O.P.) initiative may accelerate defense exports but risks undermining technology security and policy coordination due to the absence of a centralized control tower.

Experts warn that this gap could expose sensitive military technologies through mandatory technology transfers embedded in Seoul’s “package deal” model, which combines arms sales with local production and co-development.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s Together, On Speed, Performance (T.O.P.) initiative may accelerate defense exports but risks undermining technology security and policy coordination due to the absence of a centralized control tower.

Experts warn that this gap could expose sensitive military technologies through mandatory technology transfers embedded in Seoul’s “package deal” model, which combines arms sales with local production and co-development.

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