Page 163 - 2018 Defense White Paper

cyberattack and defense training centers. The costs of hiring public defenders for the families of

servicemembers killed in military accidents and victims of military crimes were newly covered
in the 2019 budget.
In addition, to ensure that existing forces perform their optimized functions, the budget

for stable maintenance support and acquisition of equipment and materials to replace aging
ones and solve shortages has been raised. The budget for the combat test requirements for the
Dronebot Combat System has also been covered in preparation for the new deployment of

drones.
The 2019 defense budget also covers the costs for strengthening the capacity to recover the
Korean War remains in the DMZ and identifying the remains amid improvements in inter-

Korean relations. The budget for supporting servicemembers’ job-searching activities and that
for providing servicemembers with winter padded jackets, which the people participated in
formulating, have been actively ref lected.
The force enhancement budget grew by 13.7% to KRW 15.4 trillion in 2018 compared to a Chapter 4

year earlier. The budget was formulated with a set of objectives including the acquisition of
key forces to deter and counter nuclear and missile threats, forces needed for wartime OPCON

transition, and forces necessary for the reorganization of the military structure, as well as the
execution of defense R&D and the securing of conditions to vitalize the defense industry.
First, KRW 5.1 trillion has been allocated to 32 projects designed to build key forces to deter
and counter nuclear and missile threats, while KRW 1.8 trillion has been allocated to 16 projects

to strengthen the ROK Armed Forces’ key military capabilities to lead the combined defense.
A total of KRW 3.5 tr illion has been allocated to 34 projects for the expansion of operational
areas as a result of the military structure reorganization, and for the reinforcement of

surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities as well as command and control capabilities in
preparation for the reduction of troops. For the ef forts to ensure the right cond itions for the
growth of the defense industry and the execution of defense R&D, which will lead the Fourth

Industrial Revolution through convergence with national R&D programs, KRW 3.2 trillion has
been allocated.

| Mid-Term Defense Plan for 2019 – 2023 | The Mid-Term Defense Plan is a blueprint for
the construction and operation of military forces over the next f ive years in response to threats
and security environment changes anticipated in the present and the future.

Section 6 Securing an Adequate Defense Budget and Enhancing the Efficiency of Defense Budget Management 161