BangsaCheong Kicks Off the Daejeon Era

About 240 Department Members Move to Former Maseonghoe Building
Plan to Complete Full Relocation by 2027

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has ushered in a new era in Daejeon. After 17 years since its establishment in Seoul, it plans to completely relocate by 2027 by constructing a new headquarters on the vacant land of the Daejeon Government Complex.

On the 3rd, DAPA announced that it held a commemorative plaque ceremony for the partial relocation of key departments at the former Korea Racing Authority building in Seo-gu, Daejeon, and officially began operations. Core departments such as the Office of the Administrator and Deputy Administrator, Planning and Coordination Office, Defense Industry Promotion Bureau, Defense Technology Protection Bureau, Future Innovation Office for Defense Acquisition, and Organization and Personnel Office have relocated, with about 240 staff members completing their move to Daejeon by the end of last month.

DAPA stated that this is an implementation achievement of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s national agenda, which includes “establishing a virtuous cycle structure for advanced power construction and expansion of defense exports.”

DAPA expects that close R&D collaboration systems will be established with top domestic research institutions such as the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), leading to a leap forward in defense science and technology capabilities. In particular, communication and cooperation with major defense institutions in the Daejeon and Chungnam regions, such as the Army, Navy, and Air Force Headquarters in Gyeryongdae and the Army Logistics Command, have been strengthened, enabling efficient acquisition of advanced power and significantly contributing to regional balanced development, DAPA explained.

DAPA added, “Along with the Daejeon Defense Industry Innovation Cluster project, which has been promoted since July last year, more direct participation in defense projects by over 500 defense-related companies in the Daejeon and Chungnam areas is expected,” and “this will be an opportunity to elevate the regional economy and the overall capabilities of the domestic defense industry to a higher level.”

DAPA is the main government agency responsible for all defense acquisition tasks, including research and development and procurement of various weapon systems, support for defense exports, and fostering the defense industry. This year, out of a budget of approximately 17 trillion won, about 5 trillion won is being invested solely in the R&D sector.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.