Modern-Aviation

10. Korea, Republic
- Military expenditure (2017): $39.2 billion
- Military expenditure as a % of general government expenditure (2017): 12.1% (#16 among countries)
- Military expenditure per capita (2017): $761 (#13 among countries)
Tensions between South Korea and its northern neighbor shaped much of the Republic's defense policy—and budget since the Korean Peninsula was divided at the end of the Korean War. A significant portion of the budget proposed in 2018 has been earmarked for efforts to increase cooperation between the two countries. President Moon Jae-in and North Korea's Kim Jong Un signed the Panmunjom Declaration after a summit in April last year and committed to halt in hostilities and denuclearization, though that goal remains elusive.

36. Vietnam

- Military expenditure (2017): $5.1 billion
- Military expenditure as a % of general government expenditure (2017): 7.9% (#39 among countries)
- Military expenditure per capita (2017): $053 (#46 among countries)
In 2011, Vietnam laid out its 10-year plan for defending its 2,000 miles of coast and territorial waters around the South China Sea in the face of increased Chinese intrusion. Recently, Beijing has attempted to claim the territory by building artificial islands. Drawing on Cold War ties with the Russian government, Vietnam has spent a decade modernizing its navy and other armed forces while working with international courts to resolve the issue more peacefully.