Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Defense Ministry unveils Defense Science and Technology Innovation Basic Plan to cultivate a science and technology-based military power

-The 2023-2037 Defense Science and Technology Innovation Basic Plan,” a defense planning document prepared by every five years, was finalized

-Defense science and technology in 10 categories and 30 sectors that need strategic investment to respond to AI and WMD was selected

-Five implementation strategies to attain the goal of building a science and technology-based military power were presented

On April 19 (Wednesday), the Defense Ministry finalized the 2023-2037 Defense Science and Technology Innovation Basic Plan (hereinafter “the basic plan”) after deliberation and approval by the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology.

The basic plan is a higher-level document for defense planning, established every five years based on the Defense Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Act. It reflects trends in technology development and changes in major policies both domestically and internationally, as well as the security environment following the establishment of the 2019-2033 Defense Science and Technology Promotion Policy (July 2019). The basic plan was prepared with reference to the Defense Strategy of the Ministry of National Defense and the Science and Technology Basic Plan of the Ministry of Science and ICT. It is used as a standard for the Defense Science and Technology Innovation Implementation Plan and Defense Technology Planning of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

The basic plan contains the mid-to long-term policy direction and implementation strategy to build a base for AI and advanced science and technology and secure defense R&D capacity on a national level with the vision of establishing a science and technology-based military power that will dominate future battlefields.

Going forward, the Defense Ministry will establish the Defense Science and Technology Innovation Implementation Plan with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and monitor implementation progress every year to ensure the systematic implementation of initiatives and achieve goals and strategies set under the basic plan.