- DAPA will fast-track nuclear-powered submarines under South Korea’s Jang Bogo N program
- The agency plans full-scale buys of combat drones, uncrewed surface vessels and laser air defenses
- DAPA’s minister said the government has not decided on privatizing Korea Aerospace Industries
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, or DAPA, will fast-track nuclear-powered submarines and artificial intelligence-enabled weapons to build a more self-reliant military, Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday.
The agency outlined the plan to lawmakers during a parliamentary audit. Seoul aims to reclaim wartime operational control, or OPCON, of its forces from Washington before President Lee Jae Myung’s term ends in 2030. The Lee government sees the effort as timely, as the Trump administration urges U.S. allies to carry more of their own defense burden.
Which Defense Technologies Is DAPA Prioritizing?
Government research and development funding will flow to AI semiconductors for guided missiles, physical AI robotics and advanced engines for next-generation fighter jets. On the acquisition side, DAPA told lawmakers it plans to begin buying combat unmanned systems and anti-drone networks including:
- combat uncrewed surface vessels
- small attack drones
- laser air defense weapons
- integrated counter-drone systems for front-line border areas
The agency will also expand military reconnaissance and communications networks through small spy satellites and the 425-II military spy satellite project to bolster air and space capabilities.
How Is South Korea Expanding Its Naval & Air Defense Capabilities?
The Jang Bogo N program, which stems from an October 2025 U.S.-South Korea summit deal, targets construction of the country’s first nuclear-powered attack submarine in the mid-2030s and operational service by the late 2030s. DAPA said it will draw on existing organizations and capabilities to develop the propulsion system and a construction blueprint. The vessels will run on high-assay low-enriched uranium below 20 percent enrichment, and Yonhap reported that the military may seek at least three 8,000-ton boats.
To counter North Korean threats and support the OPCON handover, DAPA will also speed up three other acquisitions. A long-range artillery interceptor, part of the Korea Air and Missile Defense system, will undergo operational testing and evaluation. The system aims to counter simultaneous swarm strikes on the greater Seoul area. South Korea plans to deliver the recently launched ROKS Daeho Kim Jong Seo, its third Gwanggaeto-III Batch-II Aegis destroyer, to the Navy in December 2027. The first of 20 additional F-35A stealth fighters from the U.S. is due in the second half of 2027.
What Did DAPA’s Minister Say About a Potential KAI Takeover?
DAPA Minister Lee Yong-cheol told lawmakers the government has made no national policy decision on privatizing Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI. Addressing a possible acquisition of the military aircraft maker by defense conglomerate Hanwha, Lee said the deal would bring both benefits and drawbacks. He called for scrutiny of its national security and national interest implications before the government chooses a direction. Hanwha’s three defense affiliates together own 15.89 percent of KAI, making the group its No. 2 shareholder, and many expect it to bid for the company once privatization gets underway.
