Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

ROK launches control tower to take a significant step forward in developing defense science and technology

- Presided over by Minister of National Defense, 「1st Defense Science & Technology Committee」 launched -

On Thursday, October 7, Minister of National Defense Suh Wook (chairperson) launched the 「Defense Science & Technology Committee」 to take a significant step forward in the development of defense science and technology, and held the first meeting of the committee at the main conference room of the ministry. 

The 「Defense Science & Technology Committee」, which has designated the Minister of National Defense as the chairperson of the committee, consists of vice ministers of related ministries, including the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, as well as chiefs of the main government-funded research centers and private experts who contribute to the development of our country’s defense science and technology. The committee will serve as a control tower for Korea's defense science and technology. 

       
To foster ‘elite forces based on high science and technologies,’ the government has been working on a number of strategic efforts, including △ an annual average increase of 11.9% in the investment on the defense R&D project (2.7 trillion won in 2017, 4.9 trillion won in 2022 (government’s draft plan)), △ pushing for the development of forward-looking defense science and technology for prompt introduction of high technologies, and △ making active use of the private sector's capabilities by expanding the ratio of spending on the defense R&D project, which is supervised by industries, universities, and institutes, from 46% in 2017 to 64% in 2021.

Taking the ‘fast-follower’ strategy a step forward, the committee will serve as a ‘first-mover’ and aim for early occupation of the world’s defense industry market by quickly developing the world’s most competitive weapons system.