S. Korea to encourage new defense research with revised evaluation system

▲ This file photo, taken Aug. 3, 2023, shows visitors at a defense technology fair in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)

law revision-defense technology

S. Korea to encourage new defense research with revised evaluation system

SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will employ a new evaluation system for some defense research projects in a move to ease burdens from possible failure and encourage participation in more challenging projects, the defense ministry said Tuesday.

The Cabinet approved the revised Defense Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Act to introduce the new system for emerging defense technology projects to evaluate not only their results but also the research process, according to the ministry.

Under the existing results-focused system, participants in the projects, such as companies and research institutes, had largely undertaken those with a high possibility of success due to fears of failing to produce desired results, the ministry said.

If a project is deemed to have failed, participants can be restricted from such projects for up to two years or the government can take back the project's funding partially or in its entirety.

The new system will take into account the project's level of difficulty and whether it has been conducted in good faith, easing the pressure to achieve intended goals, according to the ministry.

The system will be used to evaluate projects for defense technologies that do not have planned requirements, such as a vaccine platform to respond to a biological or chemical attack, and not for those being developed to meet specific military needs.

The revised law will take effect three months after its proclamation, which is expected to take place next week.

(END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved