Ministry of Industry Holds High-Level Meeting with Defense Acquisition Program Administration... "Strengthening Defense and Nuclear Power Cooperation"

Vice Minister Jang Young-jin Attending RE100 Corporate Meeting
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Jang Young-jin, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, is speaking at the 'RE100 Corporate Meeting' held on June 27 at the EC Room of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul. 2022.7.27 [Provided by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Redistribution and DB reproduction prohibited]
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[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) are strengthening cooperation for the joint export of nuclear power and defense industries.

On the 2nd, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that First Vice Minister Jang Young-jin and DAPA Administrator Eom Dong-hwan held a high-level meeting to enhance inter-agency collaboration. The high-level meeting was attended by the head of the Defense Material Trade Support Center and the Aerospace Defense Industry Team Leader from the Ministry, as well as the Director of the Defense Industry Promotion Bureau and the Head of the Space Command and Communications Department from DAPA.

This meeting was the first high-level meeting held between the Ministry and DAPA since the new government took office to realize national policy tasks. Previously, the Yoon Seok-yeol administration included the goal of fostering the defense industry as a national advanced strategic industry that contributes to national security and the national economy in its policy agenda. A government official explained, "Due to increased security threats in Eastern Europe following the Ukraine crisis and geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East, global defense spending is expected to rise along with demand for cutting-edge weapon systems. Korea’s defense industry, which independently develops advanced weapon systems across all battlefields, is also attracting worldwide attention."

The Ministry and DAPA discussed cooperation measures for joint exports in the nuclear power and defense sectors. They also discussed cooperation strategies to respond to comprehensive industrial cooperation demands from purchasing countries involved in defense exports.

The Ministry and DAPA also held discussions on the necessity of civil-military space technology cooperation. Both agencies agreed to strengthen cooperation on fostering a joint civil-military space industry and the development of materials, parts, and equipment (MPE) in the space sector. Additionally, they agreed to operate the 'Civil-Military Space Technology Development Council,' which each agency currently manages, more efficiently.

Both agencies plan to prepare the 'Basic Plan for Defense Industry Development' and the 'Basic Plan for Civil-Military Technology Cooperation Projects' within the year. A Ministry official stated, "There was a consensus that cooperation between the civil and military sectors is of utmost importance," adding, "We will closely cooperate going forward to ensure the defense industry grows into a national advanced strategic industry."