The Defense Acquisition Agency (DAA) plans to establish a roadmap for 100 key defense semiconductor projects by the end of the year. The initiative aims to consolidate domestic semiconductor technology and research capabilities in the defense sector to establish a self-reliant foundation for core semiconductor technologies.
On September 3, the DAA held a "Defense Semiconductor Policy and Project Demand Survey Briefing" at the Global R&D Center in Pangyo, Seongnam, attended by over 200 representatives from industry, academia, and research institutions.
This briefing was organized ahead of the implementation of the "Defense Semiconductor Promotion and Support Act" (Defense Semiconductor Act) in December, to share related policies and systems and to identify technical demands from the field for selecting the 100 key projects.
Since the enactment of the Defense Semiconductor Act in June, the DAA has been working to develop systems to foster a domestic defense semiconductor ecosystem, including specialized research and development (R&D), designation of specialized businesses, and the establishment of reliability testing and certification systems.
In particular, the DAA plans to expand participation from capable small and medium-sized fabless semiconductor design companies, government-funded research institutes, and universities to secure the core semiconductor technologies needed for weapon systems.
The briefing was divided into two parts: the first part covered "Key Policies," where the DAA explained its policy direction and the main contents of the Defense Semiconductor Act. The Defense Technology Promotion Institute and the Defense Technology Quality Agency introduced their respective key tasks and reliability testing and certification plans.
The second part featured the Defense Technology Promotion Institute explaining the direction of defense semiconductor R&D and the procedures and methods for the project demand survey, while gathering opinions on technology development participation and ecosystem formation from industry, academia, and research.
Yoon Chang-moon, Director of the DAA's Defense Technology Development Protection Bureau, stated, "Achieving self-reliance in defense semiconductor technology cannot be accomplished by the government's efforts alone. It is crucial to consolidate the technological capabilities of our country's semiconductor industry and the strengths of industry, academia, and research in the defense sector."
He emphasized, "We will focus government efforts on actively discovering innovative technologies and ideas needed in the field and systematically securing the core technologies that will support the competitiveness of future weapon systems based on this."
The DAA plans to comprehensively review the semiconductor technology projects proposed through this demand survey based on strategic importance, applicability to weapon systems, and domestic development capabilities, with the goal of finalizing the roadmap for the 100 key projects by the end of the year.
Additionally, the DAA aims to expand cooperation with relevant ministries to ensure that the defense semiconductor policy leads not only to research and development but also to the creation of a domestic industrial ecosystem and exports, thereby spreading the world-class capabilities of the domestic semiconductor industry into the defense sector.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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