A Rapid Acquisition Strategy in Light of Recent Changes in the Global Security Environment: Policy Implications and Tasks for the Korean

Today, the global state of affairs is extremely volatile, not least because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. In this report, we survey the recent changes in the global security environment with a view to identifying policy implications and tasks for the Korean defense industry. There are three main takeaways from the current state of global affairs for the Korean defense industry. First, Korea lacks military cybersecurity capabilities for dealing with the increasingly digital nature of warfare today, including hybrid warfare and gray-zone strategies. Second, efforts should be increased to use the military modernization policies of other developed countries as benchmarks and to develop cutting-edge weapons systems on the basis of priorities focusing on the effective response to threats from neighboring countries. Third, efforts should be commenced to reform and innovate Korea’s rigid weapons acquisition system, notwithstanding the high cost and lengthy periods of time involved, in the model of innovative systems in other developed countries. In order to strengthen Korea’s military cybersecurity industry, the government will need to earmark funding for cyberweapons systems, establish a new unit or agency within the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) tasked with cybersecurity, and introduce a system for analysis and training in relation to cyberattacks and cyber-defense. The Korean government also needs to focus on developing cutting-edge weapons systems in response to arms buildups in neighboring countries, particularly with a view toward establishing a multi-tiered missile defense system on an accelerated timeline and enhancing capabilities for intelligence-gathering and surveillance, including by space-based means. Finally, the Korean government needs to push for an overhaul of the conventional weapons acquisition system in the model of the United States’ Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) program. This requires tailoring pilot projects for rapid acquisition to meet specific needs, guaranteeing follow-up manufacturing opportunities when pilot projects succeed and meet certain criteria — including major weapons systems and their performance enhancements in the scope of rapid acquisition —and defining relevant roles and responsibilities, accordingly.