Defense Advanced Science and Technology Academy to Begin Training Elite Science and Technology Officers in 2028

The Ministry of National Defense's planned Defense Advanced Science and Technology Academy is set to begin formal education in 2028. The academy will admit 30 students per class year, aiming to foster elite science and technology officers through a small-scale, high-caliber system that utilizes civilian consignment education.

According to materials titled "Progress on the Establishment of the Defense Advanced Science and Technology Academy," submitted by the Ministry of National Defense to Assemblyman Lim Jongdeuk of the National Defense Committee on January 7, the Ministry plans to enact the enforcement ordinance and establish a preparatory team this month. The academy headquarters will be set up under the Korea National Defense University in January 2027, with academic operations scheduled to commence in March 2028.

Yonhap News Agency

The core of the educational model is a joint program with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). The degree curriculum will be structured with a 70:30 ratio between general academic subjects and military studies. General academic courses will be outsourced to KAIST, while military studies will be taught by faculty from the Korea National Defense University. Cadets will reside in KAIST dormitories during the semester, and their research and learning environment will be ensured to match that of regular science and engineering students.

Upon graduation, cadets will serve for three years at the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), followed by an additional three years at research institutions within each branch of the military. Those selected for long-term service will pursue master's or doctoral studies through consignment education and then carry out research and development duties at ADD or other military research institutions.

The Ministry of National Defense is expediting the establishment of the Defense Advanced Science and Technology Academy, distinct from existing military academies, because it has determined that the current educational system alone cannot adequately train highly skilled science and technology officers to address the core domains of future battlefields-artificial intelligence (AI), space, cyber, and advanced weapon systems. With the pool of available personnel shrinking, the goal is to enhance qualitative military capabilities. Israel has operated the "Talpiot" program since 1979 to nurture elite science and technology talent within its military, while China established its National University of Defense Technology in 1953 as an advanced science and technology institution.

Meanwhile, the existing Science and Technology Specialist Officer system will continue to operate in parallel for the time being. A Ministry of National Defense official stated, "After the launch of the academy, we will closely review its outcomes to determine whether the system needs to be supplemented."