July 23 (Asia Today) — South Korea unveiled a strategy Thursday to accelerate the development and domestic production of military semiconductors and require verified locally developed chips to be incorporated into weapons systems.

The Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration presented the plan during the 11th meeting of science and technology ministers.

The proposal, titled the Strategy for Localizing Military Semiconductors and Building an Industrial Ecosystem, was the second of six agenda items reviewed at the meeting.

The government said changes in the international security environment have led major countries to strengthen protection of their semiconductor industries and tighten control over critical supply chains.

South Korea, however, has a limited domestic supply base for military semiconductors and lacks some of the core technologies needed to ensure a stable supply of essential defense components.

The new strategy will use predictable government demand created by weapons acquisition programs to accelerate semiconductor development.

Military chips developed under the program will undergo government-led reliability testing and operational demonstrations. Once they meet required standards, their use in applicable weapons systems will be made mandatory.

The government also plans to use existing public and commercial fabrication facilities to establish an initial production base for military semiconductors.

Joint fabrication facility planned

The government will establish a public-private fabrication facility to support research into contract manufacturing, production methods and mass production of defense chips.

The facility is expected to help bridge the gap between semiconductor design and the large-scale manufacturing needed for weapons programs.

The government will also establish a system for designating and supporting qualified military semiconductor companies.

Programs will be introduced to train specialized engineers and technicians, while partnerships among companies, universities and research institutions will support technology development.

International cooperation networks will also be used to strengthen supply chain security and gradually improve the technological competitiveness of South Korean military chips.

Defense Acquisition Program Administration Minister Lee Yong-cheol said a self-sustaining semiconductor ecosystem was necessary for South Korea’s defense industry to advance further in global markets.

“For K-defense, which is already recognized in the global market, to take another step forward, it is essential to create an independent ecosystem for military semiconductors, which are core components of weapons systems,” Lee said.

He said the strategy would allow advanced semiconductor capabilities developed by South Korea’s commercial sector to be introduced more quickly into defense programs.

The government also intends for technologies developed through military research programs to generate commercial applications and contribute to the growth of the broader semiconductor industry.

“We will create a powerful virtuous cycle in which the results of defense research and development drive growth in the civilian industry,” Lee said.

Lee said the agency would move beyond replacing individual imported components and focus on establishing a sustainable military semiconductor ecosystem covering the full process from design to production.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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