The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is strengthening its cooperation system with Seoul National University for the advancement of future submarine technology.
On the 14th, DAPA announced that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Seoul National University’s Institute of Marine Systems Engineering at the Gwacheon Government Complex. This agreement is an extension of the ‘Defense Engineering and Policy Cooperation MOU’ signed between the two institutions last October, and was established to strengthen technical and academic exchanges specialized in the submarine field.
Under this agreement, both institutions will pursue △ sharing of technical data and information △ academic research cooperation to discover cutting-edge technologies △ activation of submarine-related conferences, seminars, and lectures △ joint proposals for submarine capability development to enhance domestic submarine technology.
DAPA’s Korean Submarine Program Group successfully completed the 3,000-ton Jangbogo-III Batch-I project by delivering the Shin Chae-ho submarine to the Navy in April last year. Currently, they are promoting various underwater force enhancement projects, including the Jangbogo-III Batch-II project. Seoul National University’s Institute of Marine Systems Engineering has been contributing to the development of domestic submarine technology by operating submarine design course programs.
Through this cooperation, DAPA and Seoul National University will jointly conduct development and research on future submarines based on advanced technology, and in the long term, they plan to strengthen the export competitiveness of domestic submarines.
Lee Sang-woo, head of DAPA’s Korean Submarine Program Group, stated, “It is meaningful to be able to cooperate with the country’s leading naval architecture and ocean engineering research institution,” adding, “Through this agreement, we will establish the foundation for future submarine technology development and further enhance the global competitiveness of the domestic defense industry.”