Defense Acquisition Program Administration

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA, Korean방위사업청; Hanja防衛事業廳; RRBangwi Saeopcheong) was founded on 1 January 2006 as part of a comprehensive reform of the defense acquisition project, including the introduction and development of military equipments, and is a central administrative agency of the South Korean Ministry of National Defense.[5][6][7] The DAPA has exclusive authority to plan and budget defense development and procurement programs for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and to enact Korean Defense Specifications (KDS). Sub-agencies of DAPA include the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) responsible for defense development and Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ) responsible for defense improvement programs and defense quality certification tests.[8][9]

Defense Acquisition Program Administration
방위사업청
Bangwi Saeopcheong
Emblem of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration
Agency overview
Formed1 January 2006; 18 years ago (2006-01-01)
JurisdictionGovernment of South Korea
HeadquartersBuilding #3,4, Government Complex-Gwacheon, 47, Gwanmun-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
37°25′31″N 126°59′01″E / 37.4253371°N 126.9836011°E / 37.4253371; 126.9836011
Employees1,638 (2023)[1]
Annual budget16.91 trillion
US$12.4 billion (2023)[2]
Agency executives
  • Seok Jong-gun, Minister[3]
  • Kang Hwan-seug, Vice Minister[4]
Parent departmentMinistry of National Defense
Child agencies
WebsiteOfficial DAPA website in English
Official DAPA website in Korean
Defense Acquisition Program Administration
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationBangwi Saeopcheong
McCune–ReischauerPangwi Saŏpch'ŏng

DAPA's founding background

In South Korea, the acquisition and procurement of arms were an important area that required a huge budget and determined national security. South Korea has also made several improvements in the Ministry of National Defense to reform its defense acquisition project in the process of strengthening its defense capabilities. Based on the evaluation results of the Yulgok project, which was a plan to reinforce and modernize the South Korean military, the Ministry of National Defense established an acquisition office in January 1999 by integrating the work related to the introduction of arms into one department.[5][6]

However, as corruption scandals related to the introduction and development of arms continued, efforts to improve the defense procurement system resumed after the inauguration of President Roh Moo-hyun's government. In late December 2003 and late January of the following year, President Roh Moo-hyun ordered improvements to the defense acquisition program, and in early March 2004, the Prime Minister's Office established the Defense Acquisition System Improvement Committee. After that, in early August 2005, a preparatory committee was established to improve the defense acquisition, and on 1 January 2006, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration was founded after reorganization, enactment, and manpower securing.[5][6]

Agencies

Ministers

Ministers of the DAPA[10]
NameTook officeLeft officeNote
Kim Jung-il (김정일)January 1, 2006July 25, 200629th Korea Military Academy graduated, Former Korean Army Major General
Lee Sun-hee (이선희)August 9, 2006March 7, 200818th Korea Air Force Academy graduated, Former Korean Air Force Brigadier General
Yang Chi-gyu (양치규)March 8, 2008January 19, 200929th Korea Military Academy graduated, Former Korean Army Major General
Byeon Moo-geun (변무근)January 20, 2009August 16, 201024th Korea Naval Academy graduated, Former Korean Navy Lieutenant General
Jang Soo-man (장수만)August 16, 2010February 16, 2011Passed the 15th Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination
Noh Dae-lae (노대래)March 18, 2011March 15, 2013Passed the 23rd Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination, 17th Chairperson of the Fair Trade Commission
Lee Yong-geol (이용걸)April 15, 2013November 18, 2014Passed the 23rd Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination
Jang Myeong-jin (장명진)November 19, 2014July 19, 201712th Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) graduated, Former ADD researcher
Jeon Je-guk (전제국)August 7, 2017[11]August 30, 2018Passed the 22nd Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination
Wang Jung-hong (왕정홍)August 31, 2018[12]December 24, 2020Passed the 29th Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination
Kang Eun-ho (강은호)December 25, 2020June 22, 2022Passed the 33rd Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination, Former Korean Army Lieutenant
Eom Dong-hwan (엄동환)June 23, 2022February 18, 202444th Korea Military Academy graduated, Former Korean Army Brigadier General
Seok Jong-gun (석종건)February 19, 2024Incumbent45th Korea Military Academy graduated, Former Korean Army Major General

Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee

In order to deliberate upon and coordinate major policies, management of financial resources and other purposes for the promotion of defense acquisition programs, the Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee was placed under the control of the Minister of National Defense.[13] Through the Committee, with the minister of National Defense as chairman, project promotion methods and model decisions are discussed and adjusted and defense capacity improvement projects are implemented.

Major procurement programs

DAPA currently manages 966 items of variety defense procurement programs.[14] Examples of current and past procurement programs include:[15]

Infantry weapon

Missile systems[16]

Missile defense systems[17]

  • Cheongung-I (KM-SAM) medium-range surface-to-air guided weapon system based on technology from the 9M96 missile used on S-350E and S-400 missile systems
    • Cheongung-II enhanced medium-range surface-to-air guided weapon system
  • Haegung (K-SAAM) surface-to-air anti missile system
  • Cheonma (Pegasus) short-range surface-to-air missile system
  • Shingung (KP-SAM) shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile
  • L-SAM multi-layered missile defense system

Ground weapon systems[18]

Maritime and underwater weapon systems[19]

Aircraft and UAV systems[20]

Surveillance and reconnaissance systems[21]

Command and control and information warfare systems[22]

  • Tactical Information Communications Network (TICN)
  • Joint Tactical Data Link System (JTDLS)
  • Air Defense Command Control and Alert (ADC2A) system
  • Airborne ELINT pod system
  • Tactical communication Electronic Warfare (EW) system-II (TLQ-200K)
  • Airborne Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) pod system (ALQ-200)
  • Shipboard electronic warfare system (SLQ-200K)
  • Advanced SIGINT aircraft system

Space technologies[23]

  • Reconnaissance space-based surveillance and reconnaissance system
  • Small satellite system
  • Military satellite communication system-I
    • Military satellite communication system-II

Core technologies[24]

Future technologies[25]

Other

See also

References