The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA, ) is a central administrative agency of the South Korean Ministry of National Defense. It was founded on 1 January 2006 as part of a comprehensive reform of defense acquisition, including the introduction and development of military equipment. Government Organization Act (Article 33) The DAPA has exclusive authority to plan and budget defense development and procurement programs for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and to enact Korean Defense Specifications (KDS). Sub-agencies of DAPA include the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) responsible for defense development and Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ) responsible for defense improvement programs and defense quality certification tests.
DAPA's founding background In South Korea, the acquisition and procurement of arms were an important area that required a huge budget and determined national security. South Korea has also made several improvements in the Ministry of National Defense to reform its defense acquisition project in the process of strengthening its defense capabilities. Based on the evaluation results of the Yulgok project, which was a plan to reinforce and modernize the South Korean military, the Ministry of National Defense established an acquisition office in January 1999 by integrating the work related to the introduction of arms into one department.
However, as corruption scandals related to the introduction and development of arms continued, efforts to improve the defense procurement system resumed after the inauguration of President Roh Moo-hyun's government. In late December 2003 and late January of the following year, President Roh Moo-hyun ordered improvements to the defense acquisition program, and in early March 2004, the Prime Minister's Office established the Defense Acquisition System Improvement Committee. After that, in early August 2005, a preparatory committee was established to improve the defense acquisition, and on 1 January 2006, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration was founded after reorganization, enactment, and manpower securing.
Agencies Agency for Defense Development (ADD) Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ)
Ministers Ministers of the DAPA Name Took office Left office Note Kim Jung-il (김정일) January 1, 2006 July 25, 2006 29th Korea Military Academy graduated, Former Korean Army Major General Lee Sun-hee (이선희) August 9, 2006 March 7, 2008 18th Korea Air Force Academy graduated, Former Korean Air Force Brigadier General Yang Chi-gyu (양치규) March 8, 2008 January 19, 2009 29th Korea Military Academy graduated, Former Korean Army Major General Byeon Moo-geun (변무근) January 20, 2009 August 16, 2010 24th Korea Naval Academy graduated, Former Korean Navy Lieutenant General Jang Soo-man (장수만) August 16, 2010 February 16, 2011 Passed the 15th Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination Noh Dae-lae (노대래) March 18, 2011 March 15, 2013 Passed the 23rd Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination, 17th Chairperson of the Fair Trade Commission Lee Yong-geol (이용걸) April 15, 2013 November 18, 2014 Passed the 23rd Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination Jang Myeong-jin (장명진) November 19, 2014 July 19, 2017 12th Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) graduated, Former ADD researcher Jeon Je-guk (전제국) August 7, 2017 August 30, 2018 Passed the 22nd Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination Wang Jung-hong (왕정홍) August 31, 2018 December 24, 2020 Passed the 29th Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination Kang Eun-ho (강은호) December 25, 2020 June 22, 2022 Passed the 33rd Korean Fifth Grade Public Service Examination, Former Korean Army Lieutenant Eom Dong-hwan (엄동환) June 23, 2022 February 18, 2024 44th Korea Military Academy graduated, Former Korean Army Brigadier General Seok Jong-gun (석종건) February 19, 2024 November 16, 2025 45th Korea Military Academy graduated, Former Korean Army Major General Lee Yong-cheol (이용철) November 17, 2025 Incumbent First DAPA Vice Minister
Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee
In order to deliberate upon and coordinate major policies, management of financial resources and other purposes for the promotion of defense acquisition programs, the Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee was placed under the control of the Minister of National Defense. Defense Acquisition Program Act (Article 9) Through the Committee, with the minister of National Defense as chairman, project promotion methods and model decisions are discussed and adjusted and defense capacity improvement projects are implemented.
Major procurement programs DAPA currently manages 1064 items of variety defense procurement programs. Examples of current and past procurement programs include:
Infantry weapon K1 selective-fire assault rifle K2 assault rifle K3 light machine gun K4 automatic grenade launcher K5 pistol K6 heavy machine gun K7 silenced submachine gun K13 carbine, formerly STC-16 (Science & Technology Carbine-16) K14 sniper rifle K15 light machine gun K16 general-purpose machine gun, formerly S&T Motiv K12 K17 carbine, update version of STC-16 and its official name.
Missile systems Source: Hycore hypersonic cruise missile system Bigung (Poniard) 2.75-inch in diameter guided rocket system K136 Kooryong 36 extended multiple rocket launcher system Biryong (Flying Dragon) short range ship-to-ship guided weapon system based on K136 K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) Hyungung (AT-1K Raybolt) medium range infantry missile system Cheongeom (Taipers) air-to-ground guided missile system Hongsangeo (Red Shark) anti-submarine rocket system Haeseong-I (Sea Star) ROK Navy's main subsonic anti-ship cruise missile system Haeseong-II (SSM-710K) enhanced cruise missile system Haeseong-III (SSM-750K) enhanced cruise missile system Korean supersonic anti-ship cruise missile system Haeryong (Sea Dragon) tactical ship-launched land attack missile based on the Haeseong I Ure (KTSSM) short-range tactical surface-to-surface ballistic missile system Hyunmoo ballistic missile system
Missile defense systems Source: M-SAM medium-range surface-to-air guided weapon system based on technology from the 9M96 missile used on S-350E and S-400 missile systems Cheongung-II enhanced medium-range surface-to-air guided weapon system Haegung (K-SAAM) surface-to-air anti missile system Cheonma (Pegasus) short-range surface-to-air missile system Shingung (KP-SAM) shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile L-SAM multi-layered missile defense system
Ground weapon systems Source: KH178 105 mm towed howitzer KH179 155 mm towed howitzer K105A1 (EVO-105) 105 mm wheeled self-propelled artillery K9 Thunder 155 mm self-propelled howitzer K2 Black Panther main battle tank K131 light utility vehicle K151 military light utility vehicle K311 logistics and utility vehicle K511 logistics and utility vehicle K711 logistics and utility vehicle K200 infantry fighting vehicle K21 infantry fighting vehicle K21-105 light tank AS21 (Redback) infantry fighting vehicle KW1 Scorpion (White Tiger) wheeled armoured personnel carrier Biho (K30) twin 30 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft guns Cheonho (KA2) twin 30 mm wheeled self-propelled anti-aircraft guns Barracuda 4x4 armored wheeled vehicle Tigon 6x6 armored wheeled vehicle Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicle-II (KAAV-2) Unmanned Surveillance Vehicle K-NBC reconnaissance vehicle High energy laser
Maritime and underwater weapon systems Source: Harbor Underwater Surveillance System (HUSS) Towed Array Sonar System (TASS) Torpedo Acoustic Counter Measure (TACM) FFG sonar system KDX-III batch-II integrated sonar system Jangbogo-III class (KSS-III) batch-I combat system Jangbogo-III class (KSS-III) batch-I sonar system Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) combat system Patrol Killer Guided (PKG) missile-class combat system Ulsan-Class (FF) batch-I combat system Ulsan-Class (FF) batch-III combat system Dolgorae (Dolphin) midget submarine Multi-Mission Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MMUSV) Cheongsangeo (Blue Shark) light anti-submarine torpedo Baeksangeo (White Shark) heavy anti-submarine torpedo Beomsangeo (Tiger Shark) heavy anti-submarine torpedo
Aircraft and UAV systems Source: KAI KF-21 Boramae 4.5 generation fighter aircraft KAI T-50 Golden Eagle family of supersonic advanced trainers and multirole light fighters, including the following variants: T-50 (advanced trainer version) TA-50 (lead-in fighter trainer and light attack version) FA-50 (multirole fighter all-weather version) T-50B (aerobatic specialized T-50 version for the ROKAF's aerobatic display team, the Black Eagles) KAI KUH-1 Surion medium transport helicopter KAI KT-1 Woongbi basic training aircraft KA-1 tactical control aircraft KGGB (Korean Guided GPS Bomb) precision guided glide bomb KAI RQ-101 Songgolmae corps level reconnaissance UAV KAI NCUAV next-generation corps level reconnaissance UAV Korean Air KUS-FS multipurpose medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle KAI LAH light armed helicopter Blackout bomb
Surveillance and reconnaissance systems Source: Radar for land systems KF-21 Active electronically scanned array (AESA) Radar Ulsan-Class (FF) batch-I AESA Radar Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for KUS-FS Korean Commander's Panoramic Sight (KCPS) for K1A1 Korean Gunner's Primary Sight (KGPS) for K2 Black Panther Sight system for K21 infantry fighting vehicle Thermal Observation Device (TOD) Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) for PKG combat system Infrared Search and Track (IRST) for shipborne systems Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system for KUH-1 Tactical Electro-Optical and Infrared reconnaissance system (Tac-EO/IR) Electro-Optical and Infrared system for KUS-FS MUAV Electro-Optical and Infrared system for corps level reconnaissance UAV-II Infrared camera for satellites Multi-sensor and multi-source imagery fusion system
Command and control and information warfare systems Source: Tactical Information Communications Network (TICN) Joint Tactical Data Link System (JTDLS) Air Defense Command Control and Alert (ADC2A) system Airborne ELINT pod system Tactical communication Electronic Warfare (EW) system-II (TLQ-200K) Airborne Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) pod system (ALQ-200) Shipboard electronic warfare system (SLQ-200K) Advanced SIGINT aircraft system
Space technologies Source: Reconnaissance space-based surveillance and reconnaissance system Small satellite system Military satellite communication system-I Military satellite communication system-II
Core technologies Source: Seeker Laser Detection and Ranging (LADAR) Optical Phased Array-Based LADAR Navigation technology Micromachined inertial sensors Fibre-Optic Gyroscope (FOG) Hemispherical Resonator Gyroscope (HRG) Control Moment Gyroscope (CMG) Star tracker Terrain referenced navigation Ground-Based Radio System (GRNS) Anti-jamming technology Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Jamming Rocket propulsion Ramjet propulsion Engine Technology (subsonic gas Turbine and high speed) for missiles and UAV Defense materials Fuel cells and special batteries underwater acoustic sensor Hyperspectral image equipment EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) technology Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) High Energy Material (HEM) Ballistic protection technology Precision-guided munition Railgun Dual barrel air-burst technology for XK13 25 mm OCSW, Cancelled in 2013. Warrior platform AI-based autonomy technology Autonomous tunnel exploration robot Rescue robot Tailless demonstrator UAV for KUS-FC unmanned combat aerial vehicle Unmanned Combat Compound Rotorcraft (UCCR) Anti-Submarine Warfare Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (ASWUUV) Supercavitating torpedo Cyber security technologies Verification of chemical warfare agents Detoxification technology
Future technologies Source: Artificial intelligence