S. Korea's defense budget tops 70 tln won for first time

South Korea's defense budget is set to surpass 70 trillion won ($50.9 billion) for the first time next year, as Seoul steps up spending to accelerate its push to transfer wartime operational control and build up indigenous defense capabilities. Of the record 820.9 trillion won proposal submitted to the National Assembly on Tuesday, 73.28 trillion won was allocated to defense, up 8.2 percent from 67.7 trillion won in the 2026 budget. Until this year, the defense budget primarily covered force ope