Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Inaugural session of the Defense Science and Technology Coordination Council 2022

On December 15 (Thursday), the Ministry of National Defense held the inaugural session of the Defense Science and Technology Coordination Council (“Council”) presided over by Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul.

The Council discussed the Unmanned Defense System Development Plan and the domestic status of commercial drones and the possibility of using them in the defense sector.

The Unmanned Defense System Development Plan, published by the Ministry of National Defense, is the first document to detail the construction of unmanned system infrastructure, which is emerging as a game changer of future warfare in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, as a response to the increased value placed on human life and the decline in military service resources. It presents three key initiatives: establishment of a framework, technology development and standardization, and force integration.

Vice Minister Shin said at the council session that “in order to efficiently introduce and operate an unmanned system, the demand for which is expected to increase rapidly, the Ministry of National Defense has published this Unmanned Defense System Development Plan and discussed it with related government ministries including the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of National Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Such moves are timely and bear significance.”