Arms Trades with Strings Attached

While arms trades amongst states have been traditionally regarded as providing the supplier state with leverage over the recipient state, the introduction of new global arms exporters have questioned the applicability of this argument. This argument may stand for traditional arms exporters that have long dominated the export industry. However, this study argues that rising arms exporters like South Korea and Israel weigh in economic and strategic considerations more heavily than the sole pursuit of leverage. Utilizing both quantitative analyses and case studies on two countries rapidly expanding their share of the global arms export industry, this study sheds light onto how current and future arms exporters’ motivation encompasses multiple, not singular, considerations. This study was conducted with the hopes of raising awareness on the differing motivations reflecting the unique considerations of each country and finds commonalities among non-traditional arms exporters. A thorough understanding of each and every country’s decision to export arms is warranted to better inform and navigate the future of arms exports, in addition to the effects it has on bilateral and international relations.