fˈeɪsd wɪð ˈɛskɐlˌeɪɾɪŋ nˈɔːɹθ kɚɹˈiːən θɹˈɛts, ɐ pətˈɛnʃəli ʌnsˈɜːʔn̩ ˈælaɪ ɪnðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts, ænd ðə tʃˈeɪndʒɪŋ sᵻkjˈʊɹɹᵻɾi ɚɹˈeɪndʒmənts ɹᵻɡˈɑːɹdɪŋ ˌɑːkɪnˈɑːwə, sˈaʊθ kɚɹˈiːən pəlˈɪɾɪkəl lˈiːdɚz lˈʊkt tə jˈuːz ɐ hˈɛvi ˈɪndʌstɹi dɹˈaɪv tə lˈɛsən ðɛɹ mˈɪlətˌɛɹi dᵻpˈɛndəns ɔnðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts ænd bˈɪld ˌʌp ðə ɹᵻpˈʌblɪk ʌv kɚɹˈiːə ˈɑːɹmd fˈoːɹsᵻz.
Faced with escalating North Korean threats, a potentially uncertain ally in the United States, and the changing security arrangements regarding Okinawa, South Korean political leaders looked to use a heavy industry drive to lessen their military dependence on the United States and build up the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.