[Korea MND News Catch Up] Military aims to boost defense/ The number of U.S. troops will be maintained / Defense Industry 2020 follow-up plan unveiled

Ministry of National Defense, ROK
Recent News

http://www.mnd.go.kr/mndEng_2009/WhatsNew/RecentNews/index.jsp

____________________________________________________
Image: Attendants listen to presentations from experts during the third 'Defense Green Technology Symposium' which was held on April 26 at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul.

NO 756
2011-05-02 15:07
Military aims to boost defense 'green' technologyApril 27, 2011

The third 'Defense Green Technology Symposium,' organized by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) aimed at sharing current status of defense green technology development and its research achievements, was held on April 26 at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul.

Some 100 experts from the military, government, academia and industry attended the symposium, which was sponsored by the Presidential Committee on Green Growth. The symposium begin with an opening address delivered by the Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Young-geol. Then Noh Dae-lae, Commissioner of Defense Acquisition ProgramAdministration, delivered welcoming speech.

In a topic presentation session, Kim Hwa-seok, an official responsible for managing military force and resources at the Defense Ministry, and three experts of ADD, presented subjects related to green technology development.

Kim, who made presentation under the title 'Direction for Implementing Defense Green Growth Policy,' explained the necessity of Defense Green Growth by giving examples of worldwide environment changes, special characteristics of defense technology development and aspects of future warfare. Also he introduced measures for successful development of Defense Green Growth, including training troops the importance of green growth and change their lifestyle living with green growth, establishing green growth promotion system in the military and adopting advanced green growth know-hows from other countries.

Choi Chang from ADD said that the agency is in the middle of studying overall scope of the flow of green energy source in order to obtain eco-friendly and green energy technology as well as to prepare of energy security. Choi added that people can anticipate highly on a result of defense eco-friendly energy research since the result will attain the world level. Future arms trade market can also be boosted as a result of the research, Choi said.

Another expert from ADD Kim Dong-hyeon presented the work on developing future weapon system based on taking advantage of low carbon future energy. For instance, hybrid combat vehicle, new energy resource warship and high-altitude unmanned surveillance plane, said Kim.

Expert Lee Yun-hui of ADD revealed the process and current status of building military management technology based on 'Modeling and Simulation' system. In addition, explained many ripple effects that could be caused by an experiment using Modeling and Simulation system, including reinforcing combat capabilities by reducing energy in various battle fields and lessen environment damage as well as danger of leaking toxic waste.

In particular, ADD drew attendants' attention at the symposium by exhibiting eight research achievements, including eco-friendly fuel cell and high mobility hybrid propel system for special-purpose military vehicles.

_________________________________
The number of U.S. troops will be maintained : Ministry
2011-04-25 16:32
April 19, 2011

The Ministry of National Defense of South Korea said on April 18 that the number of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) troops maintains at 28,500.

The ministry's announcement was released in response to some media reports claiming that the number of U.S. troops here reduced to 26,305 in 2009 based on the Base Structure Report by the Pentagon. The ministry also said that there is no change in the number of U.S. troops in South Korea according to a status report of USFK military capabilities.

"The number written on the Pentagon's report is not an actual number of troops but total figure that is estimated based on a scale of facilities they can be accommodated," said a defense official at the ministry.

Even though the number of South Korean and U.S. troops here have been steadily decreased since 2000, Seoul and Washington had agreed during a summit talks between leaders of two countries in April 2008 to maintain the number of U.S. troops in South Korea at 28,500 under a decision that joint defense capabilities should not be weakened when North Korea keep on making military provocations.

______________________________________

Image : Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, the commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, talks to reporters at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul on April 20.

NO 753
2011-04-25 16:33
USFK is committed to defending Korean Peninsula
April 21, 2011

The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) is taking priority of defending South Korea and it will also participate in more multinational military exercises in the Asia-Pacific region, going beyond its duties to defend the Korean Peninsula.

Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, the commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, talks to reporters at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul on April 20.

In a press briefing at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul on April 20, Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, the commander of the Eighth U.S. Army (EUSA), said there will be no change of the number of U.S. forces here as agreed on by Seoul and Washington. Johnson stressed that the USFK is always taking top priority of defending South Korea.

He also said that about 500 members of the 2nd U.S. Infantry Division had joined joint military exercise in the Philippines earlier this month. In addition, he claimed the USFK has secured transport so troops can immediately return to South Korea from overseas missions in case of emergencies on the peninsula.

"We can strengthen combat capabilities as well as readiness posture if the USFK take part in overseas drills and that will benefit South Korea's security," Johnson said. "Maintaining readiness posture to prepare for actual battles is the reason for the presence of the USFK here."

Following deployment of latest-model M1 tanks, the USFK plans to introduce newest armored combat vehicles this summer, he said.

In response to questions related to the wartime operational control transfer from U.S. to South Korea, he said that even after the transition reinforcement capabilities of U.S. forces to the peninsula in emergencies will be maintained as it is. The commander said he will not make security vacuum while moving U.S. bases from Seoul to Pyeongtaek.

In a separate briefing, an officer under the EUSA said that currently EUSA is experiencing its structure system change from Army Service Component Command to Field Army. The EUSA is focus on combat mission while most of administrative and logistics duties will be transferred to the U.S. Army Pacific.

The officer also said that EUSA is in process of altering work system of U.S. soldiers to serve in South Korea for three years accompanying their families rather than to serve only one year without bringing their families.

"With this change of work system, safe working environment will be created by improving living condition of U.S. soldiers," the officer said. "It is going to strengthen readiness posture as well."

_________________________________

Recent News NO 752
Defense Industry 2020 follow-up plan unveiled
2011-04-25 16:30
April 18, 2011

Eleven defense industry projects, including creating Korean Fighter Experimental (KFX) and Korea Attack Helicopter (KAH) programs, will be handed over to private sector from state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD).

ADD is planning to increase the number experts to focus on developing Korean-made weapon system and give weight to creating strategic weapon system as well as fundamental core technology.

model fighter jet that is expected to be made from Korean Fighter Experimental program
The Ministry of National Defense and Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the outline of follow-up measures for 'Defense Industry 2020' plan on April 15.

The follow-up plan was first reported to the President Lee Myung-bak in the Presidential Council for Future and Vision in October last year. Since then for six months, defense experts from ministries, government agencies, defense firms and academic field work on details of the plan and reported the final measures during a meeting organized by Yim Tae-hee, Blue House chief of staff.

In particular, the Defense Ministry and DAPA prospects of earning economic benefit worth $4 billion through arms trade and create some 25,000 job positions in case follow-up plan proceed without trouble.

Under the plan, private sectors are expected to have high control over researching and developing general strategic weapon system. After reviewing 13 defense projects responsible for ADD since October last year, DAPA decided to transfer 11 projects to private sector. Among them, six projects, including making new Nuclear-biological-chemical Reconnaissance vehicles, radio sets for small units and target measuring device for Air Control jet, are going to be handed over right away. FTX and KAH programs will be transferred later.

In addition, other projects such as developing new unmanned aerial vehicles to be used in reconnaissance operations, military satellite communication system and anti-artillery detect radar are scheduled to be transferred to private firms but ADD is considering complementary measures for technical parts that private sectors are lack of.

Basically, all defense projects related to developing general strategic weapon system are going to be controlled by private firms from 2012, according to the Defense Industry 2020 follow-up plan. The plan expects to raise the ratio of private firms involved in defense weapon system from current 60 percent to 75 percent.

In order to ease the pressure of project management after transfer, DAPA is planning to strengthen professionalism by increasing the number of experts in the management team.
The follow-up measure said that ADD is going to reinforce professionalism in basic science field by recruiting more experts up to 40 percent from current 16 percent.

Also the number of experts with doctoral degree will be increased up to 60 percent from current 39 percent. In other words, projects aimed at developing strategic weapon system and basic core technology are slated to be more focused than creating general weapon system. ADD is expected to expand the ratio of its own research to 60 percent from current 13.5 percent. So far, ADD has been relying on private contractors for developing weapon system due to heavy burden on the work. The proportion of its own research of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information and Korea Institute of Science and Technology accounts for 96, 97 and 92 percent, respectively.

A special team responsible for managing the use of new weapon system will be created within the Joint Chiefs of Staff in order to contribute in improve its capabilities and domestic industry. The team is going to be consisted of experts from defense industry and economic industry as well as specialists recommended by DAPA.

Under the follow-up plan, a military power review committee which has been operated since December last year will design mission, organization structure and management method so that the new plan could be put into practice systematically and efficiently. The committee will also first review the operation of 21 short- and medium-term defense projects, including K-2 tank, K-11 rifle, new multiple rocket launcher, Future Frigate Experimental and high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles.
In order to foster globally competitive defense firms, DAPA and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy will beef up professionalism of defense firms by promoting investment on research and development until July this year, reforming production cost system and improving potential small and medium companies.

Moreover, the government will push for revising a law related to defense reform within this year so that it can establish mandatory plan of using private resources. By August this year, the government is planning to select sectors that can be easily privatized to take advantage of their resources and set up yearly plan.