SEOUL– South Korea plans to expand the scope of state support for the domestic development of arms components to include high-tech materials, such as carbon fiber for advanced aircraft, its arms procurement agency said Monday.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled its 2023-2027 policy roadmap to support local firms’ efforts to develop weapons parts, in tune with the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s drive to bolster defense exports.

Under a government support program, a selected firm can get funding that accounts for up to 75 percent of its research and development costs. The materials sector has not been on the list of those eligible for the program, due apparently to budgetary constraints and other issues.

Under the five-year roadmap, the government will extend support to the local development of advanced materials, such as metal alloy in gas turbine engines and raw materials in high-performance explosives for guided weapons, according to DAPA.

DAPA said it plans to provide support for entire development processes, such as developing, evaluating, testing and certifying defense products, as well as exporting them.

DAPA said that with the new roadmap, it seeks to help achieve the government’s goal for the country to become the world’s fourth largest defense exporter by 2027.

The agency added it aims to nurture 100 small-sized companies specializing in arms components.

Last month, the defense ministry unveiled a series of measures, such as developing future technologies, to help the country take up 5 percent of the global arms export market by 2027.

In accordance with a relavent law, the DAPA policy roadmap is formulated every five years.

Source: Yonhap News Agency