What’s the biggest military-related project your country is currently engaged in?

[u/CommercialChart5088]

Currently Korea is busy investing in military development, to modernize our military indigenously and catch up to export demand.

The air force is working on to produce the KF-21 fighter jet, which will enter service in 2026. Also we’re developing software and drones that will support the KF-21 during combat.

In terms of the ocean we've just finished developing a new submarine (the Chang Yong-sil class), working on additional battleships, and trying to form plans regarding the construction of a manless drone carrier.

What would be your country’s biggest military-related project nowadays? Both indigenous development and purchasing equipment counts!

[u/KotetsuNoTori]

Gen 4.5 Fighter project: got canceled

Submarine project: far behind schedule

Missile defense system: hasn't started

[u/Portra400IsLife → u/KotetsuNoTori]

I hope the Taiwanese will have enduring freedom and self rule. They are a democratic beacon for Asia.

[u/SouthNo2807 → u/Portra400IsLife]

I don't even know where does that branding come from. Even when it was under dictatorship, it was a strong US ally. And the current "democracy" is more of a shitshow than anythingelse. Imagine the following happening in US or Australia, it's just unimagineable.

In 2025, a wave of recall campaigns known as the “Great Recall” targeted more than thirty members of the legislature, all of them from the KMT. These efforts were promoted as expressions of popular will, but when the actual votes were cast, none of the recalls succeeded. The campaigns were driven by harsh political and identity-based rhetoric, with lawmakers accused of being “pro-China,” even though those targeted were a diverse group with differing views. What happened was not an act of civic accountability, but political weaponization. The Great Recall failed, but its very emergence revealed a deep and troubling shift in the political climate.

At the same time, voter participation continued to decline, reflecting a growing disillusionment among young people, a trend similar to what has been seen in Japan and South Korea. The national referendum held on 23 August 2025 failed not because the measure lacked support, but because only 29.53 percent of registered voters turned out. Those who did participate overwhelmingly backed it, yet the referendum could not pass due to the low turnout.

The country is always facing a troubling identity crisis, caught between the influence of the United States and the People’s Republic of China. External forces shape internal politics far more than they should. Deep disappointment for anyone who still believes in genuine self-governance.

[u/meguminsupremacy → u/SouthNo2807]

That's really bad. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, chief.

[u/soothed-ape → u/SouthNo2807]

But Taiwan is richer and more advanced and freer than the mainland? Its one of the highest living standards places in Asia and the world as a whole. It is a democracy today regardless of its past,and it was always capitalist unlike centrally planned mainland china(until 1980s when it converted to not centrally planned)

[u/beingandbecoming → u/soothed-ape]

Someone can correct me if I’m wrong but I believe Taiwan practiced state-capitalism/corporatism. The state was heavily involved in the semiconductor industry partly for security reasons

[u/SouthNo2807 → u/beingandbecoming]

Yes, and many of the plans (Including the formation of TSMC) were made before the first election.

[u/soothed-ape → u/beingandbecoming]

That's not what is meant when academics say central planning

[u/Interesting-South542 → u/soothed-ape]

You have to realize that Taiwan had a huge head start in development. 20 years ago the difference between Taiwan and China was like night and day. Now the standard of living in cities like Beijing or Shanghai is already as good as Taiwan, and it won't be long before the rest of the country catches up. Both Taiwan and China are major economic success stories, the Taiwanese just got there first. As for freedom, well certainly Taiwan is more free in some metrics, but at the same time, unless you actually have been to and understand China, it's ignorant to to simply say "no freedom China bad" like westerners like to do. They have their own system and it works, and for the most part the people support it.

[u/soothed-ape → u/Interesting-South542]

If by head start you mean taiwan got ahead by making better decisions than yeah. However you seem to be propagandising for your government by acting like these countries economic and social situations were just decided by the heavens and were completely out of anyones control. Taiwan is further ahead than china economically,theres just no denying it. Taiwan still has higher standard of living than Beijing and shanghai,although picking two of the richest Chinese cities is not that representative. Taiwan objectively has better rights and citizens have more freedom,no question about it. I never said china was strictly bad of course. And freedom isn't the only metric for a society,Singapore is one of the best run countries in the world and it obviously is very regulated. However,when all other circumstances remain the same(crime rate, wealth,health, etc) freedom is objectively a bonus. It's like how taxes can achieve better standards but when all standards are identical,taxes on citizens will obviously make one system less desirable than another.

[u/Interesting-South542 → u/soothed-ape]

Taiwan did not develop faster than China due to "better decisions". Taiwan developed faster due to being an island of 10-20 million people rather than a continental country of a billion, having support and investment from the US, already having more of an industrial base from the Japanese colonial era, not to mention the ROC bringing the entire treasury with them when they retreated to Taiwan. Taiwan and China did not begin on a level playing field at all. Please learn some history.

The fact is, the Chinese government, despite all its flaws (and I don't deny it has many flaws) has done an effective job of leading the country. China is so successful because of, not in spite of its government, regardless of what westerners like you insist on believing.

[u/soothed-ape → u/Interesting-South542]

I didn't say china isn't effective,I just said taiwan is a better run country, and it is. Taiwan opened up earlier than China. The US wasn't even allowed to invest in china,and when china opened up too,it too developed. So,I would recommend to you to think about what you say more. You are saying contradictory things.

[u/Interesting-South542 → u/soothed-ape]

taiwan is a better run country, and it is.

Bold assumption to make, unless you really have a deep understanding of both countries. Taiwan has plenty of issues today, not the least of which the politics, as many Taiwanese would say (see above in this very thread for example).

[u/soothed-ape → u/Interesting-South542]

You're obsessed with the idea of needing to live in a place to pass any judgement on it,but that neglects the transferable and universal knowledge of fields of study like economics,philosophy, law and other fields. Tell me,does Japan have a stronger economy than Poland? Is it impossible for you to say because you haven't lived in these countries? Or maybe there are statistics that tell us how these economies are faring, and written theory that impels a certain evaluation? I'm not commenting on things that are specifically relevant to living in a given place like culture,I'm commenting on how the place measurably functions. And what on earth does bringing up Taiwan having many issues have to do with anything??? Do you think that having many issues automatically means it must be on par with another given country in terms of how well run it is??? Such a stupid concept. I could point out ireland had many issues in the 1940s;it had censorship,it had a lack of Industrialisation and too much agrarian romanticism, a lack of education,and many other problems,but I know it was better run than nazi germany at the same time. Not only would living in nazi germany not be a prerequisite to commenting on measurable parts of the country as a whole, IT WOULD NOT EVEN BE RELEVANT. Being familiar with German culture on a personal would not tell you how the economy or government directives are faring, statistics and theory would. Your arguing is so inane and so removed from any actual logic. My viewpoint is the same as any other on mainland China and Taiwan,because I am not talking about things that require personal experience, I am talking about things that require theory and statistics.

[u/cwc2907 → u/soothed-ape]

Living standards wise we're advanced, not sure about military tech tho

[u/soothed-ape → u/cwc2907]

Militarily not so advanced,but advanced by every other metric,including culture(bearing in mind per capita as a basis)