Defense science and technology of the ROK and desirable directions for relevant R&D policies

Abstract

Abstract The capacity of defense science and technology (S&T) at the level of an advanced nation is becoming an ever-more critical factor in the survival of the defense industry along with accumulation of military power. Until now, the development of advanced weapons systems and capabilities for essential technologies by the Republic of Korea (ROK) have remained at a relatively low level, due to the following factors: reliance on foreign nations for advanced weapon systems, research heavily focused on systems development as opposed to producing technologies, and a bifurcated structure of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) managing research and development (R&D) on the one hand, and the defense industry taking on assembly and production on the other. In order to resolve this lagging in defense S&T standards, national S&T should be tied to and united with research in the defense sector; civilian resources should be astutely employed in a strategic manner; and cross-sector cooperation between the civilian and military sectors should be strengthened. Moreover, roles should be delegated accordingly between the state research facilities and the defense industries, while an R&D infrastructure based on development and accumulation of technologies should be established. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has proposed a vision of securing “world-class defense science and technology capabilities,” and this can no doubt become a most formidable and valuable security asset for the ROK.