Since the second half of last year, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (hereinafter referred to as the Defense Acquisition Agency) has prepared a plan to adjust the R&D organization through numerous consultations with the Defense Science Research Institute (ADD) and defense companies.

ADD concentrates on R&D of cutting-edge and secret technology, and transfers R&D of general weapons to defense companies to enhance the competitiveness of ADD and defense companies at the same time.

In June of last year, it was reported to the Defense Project Promotion Committee presided over by the Minister of Defense and was effectively confirmed as a policy.

This marked the beginning of the so-called ADD restructuring reform.



However, since this summer, the Bangsa Agency has been saying otherwise.

They are changing the word, saying, "The method for adjusting the R&D agency has not been decided" and "There was a misunderstanding in the explanation and communication."

It seems that the ADD restructuring reforms are going to roll back.

The former director of ADD said a year ago that it would be difficult to research and develop high-tech and non-tech due to the lack of research manpower.



The DAPA has not been able to explain the exact reason for the break.

In the meantime, the DAPA reported the ADD restructuring reform plan to the National Assembly and even made a promise to the public.

There was also an order to foster the defense minister.

Overturning the ADD restructuring reform is an act of violating a promise to the public and protesting the minister.

Above all else, it is a regression that kills the ADD of defense science.

Promise to the people and report to the National Assembly


On October 20, last year, during the National Assembly's National Defense Commission's audit of the DAPA, the DAPA and the ADD specified a plan to adjust the R&D agencies in their work reports. The work report of the DAPA is under the sub-title of 'Reorganization of R&D system centered on advanced technology', △ Restructuring of ADD to focus on high-tech development and secret/non-fair business, △ Supervising research and development of weapons systems. It was explained in detail that the institution was converted from ADD to a company (4 out of 8 businesses), and ADD technical support and research facilities and equipment utilization plans were prepared to strengthen the company's R&D capabilities.



It is a reminder of the ADD restructuring reform to the representatives of the people. The defense committee members responded, "Don't just talk, please do it." The need for division of work between ADD and defense companies was raised today is not a thing of the past. Finally, when the DAPA and ADD said that they would do it, it seems that the members of the National Defense Commission were half happy and half suspicious.




Not only that, but the defense white paper published in the name of Defense Minister Seo Wook at the end of last year pointed out that “Through division of roles by institutions, ADD will focus on research capabilities for future core and new technology development, including future challenging defense technology development.”

The division of roles by institution means coordination between the ADD and the company's R&D organization.

By coordinating the R&D agency, ADD expressed the reform proposal to focus on R&D of difficult new technologies in one simple sentence in the national defense white paper.



The national defense white paper is the bible of national defense that declares and promises to the people a year's defense policy.

The restructuring of the ADD in the Defense White Paper, that is, specifying a plan to adjust the R&D agencies, is no different from the DAPA's promise to the public.

Minister gives orders and reports detailed plans to the National Assembly


ADD celebrated its 50th anniversary on August 5 last year.

At the ceremony held at the ADD Daejeon headquarters, then Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo delivered a congratulatory speech, saying, "I expect that the restructuring of ADD, which is being promoted as part of Defense Reform 2.0, will be completed without fail to achieve the goal of securing the world's sixth-largest defense science and technology." said.

This is an order from the Minister of Defense to complete the ADD restructuring reform through the coordination of the R&D organization.

The DAPA and ADD have had a lifespan.



The DAPA reported the detailed plan for the adjustment plan to the R&D agency to the National Assembly in April and May.

In the April report, the total project cost and project schedule of the four R&D projects to be adjusted by the host organization were introduced in detail.

In response to some concerns that the cost and period of research and development led by companies would increase, the DAPA said that it would minimize the increase by analyzing the project cost and period, and this was done.



A report to the National Assembly in May suggested a plan to support ADD's technology to defense companies.

A specific method to transfer ADD's technology to the defense industry has emerged in the form of technical advice, technical service, and technology transfer.

These are the results of several technology review meetings from last year to the first half of this year for each of the four businesses that are transferring R&D to companies.

Do you break the people's promises or the minister's orders?


In summary, the ADD reform proposal, which is the coordination of the R&D agency, is a matter that the DAPA promised to the public as a defense white paper and reported to the National Assembly members during the state audit.

The Minister gave orders to the DAPA and ADD, and the DAPA even reported the detailed plan to the National Assembly.

Prior to this, the Defense Agency, ADD, and companies closely consulted a dozen times, and the chief executives of ADD visited the defense industry and encouraged them to participate in R&D.



A major reform of defense science, which seeks to be number one in the world rather than second in the world, has become an irreversible policy by letting ADD, who lacks research manpower, focus on cutting-edge technology and technology matured defense companies to develop general weapon systems.

However, the DAPA suddenly started to take a position that "nothing has been decided" since the summer.

It is said that the plan to adjust the R&D organization is still under review and not a finalized policy.



The DAPA is trying to retreat from reform, saying, "I did not explain properly" and "There was a misunderstanding in communication."

As it did in the past 50 years, ADD intends to research and develop advanced, secret, and wing technologies and general weapon systems together.

I do not know which government has had such an institution in the past.

Heavy statements are coming out one by one as to why the DAPA and ADD are doing this.