Won Junhee, President of the Defense SME Association: "Maximizing Weapon Performance with 3D Printing"

Trust, Rapid Procurement, and Export Competitiveness Highlighted at K-Defense Grand Debate

There are calls for bold support and development of small and medium venture enterprises responsible for materials, parts, and equipment (commonly referred to as "Sobu-jang") in the defense sector, in order to ensure the continued advancement of K-Defense.

The Defense Small and Medium Venture Business Association and the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers co-hosted the K-Defense Grand Forum on the afternoon of the 9th at the National Defense Convention in Yongsan, Seoul, and are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Seungchan Boo's Office

At the K-Defense Grand Forum, co-hosted by the Defense Small and Medium Venture Business Association and the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers on the afternoon of September 9 at the Yongsan Defense Convention Center in Seoul, Won Junhee, President of the Defense Small and Medium Venture Business Association, stated, "Standardization projects are essential to earning trust in the global parts market. This trust serves as a stepping stone for our defense SMEs and ventures to enter global supply chains." He added, "Through this, we can secure international credibility, enhance rapid procurement capabilities, and strengthen export competitiveness."

He further emphasized, "A representative production technology that enables this is additive manufacturing, or 3D printing. Additive manufacturing is optimized for small-batch, multi-item production, enables the advanced evolution and production of unmanned weapon systems such as drones and robots, and allows for the rapid procurement of discontinued parts to reduce operational gaps. Additionally, by applying lightweight and new materials, we can maximize the performance of advanced weapon systems."

This forum was organized to explore the development direction of international standard certification systems for ensuring the full lifecycle quality of defense products amid rapidly changing weapon system paradigms, and to discuss in depth the application of additive manufacturing (3D printing), a core technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, to the defense industry. The defense industry is currently facing the important challenge of securing competitiveness in the global market by responding to new technological trends such as digital transformation, smart manufacturing, and eco-friendly technologies. As a result, the establishment of certification systems that meet international standards and the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies have emerged as key concerns within the industry.

During the forum, presentations were given on topics such as "Development Direction of International Standard Certification for Defense Materials, Parts, and Equipment Companies" by Kim Youngin, Head of the Materials, Parts, and IT Industry Division at the Defense Small and Medium Venture Business Association; "Quality Certification and Application of Additive Manufacturing in Response to Changes in Defense Weapon System Paradigms" by Kim Samyeon, Professor at Jeonju University; and "Defense Quality Certification Applying International Standards" by Jeong Wonchan, Head of the Quality Certification Team at the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality. In addition, a panel discussion was held with experts including Choi Haejin, Professor at Chung-Ang University; Lee Daejin, Senior Researcher at the Defense Agency for Technology and Planning; Kim Daejung, CEO of AM Solutions; and Song Bangwon, Professor at Konkuk University.

Lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties also emphasized the growth of small and medium venture enterprises in the defense sector. In particular, Boo Seungchan, a member of the National Assembly's Defense Committee from the Democratic Party, called for improvements to the role of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Boo stated, "The Defense Acquisition Program Administration should not remain just as an administrator, but should actively seek out its responsibilities to help Korea become one of the top four defense powers. Organizations like the Defense Small and Medium Venture Business Association should be able to play a greater role." He added, "I think the role of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration needs to change somewhat."

Yoo Yongwon, a member of the National Assembly's Defense Committee from the People Power Party, said, "Additive manufacturing technology can bring advantages such as lightweighting and flexible supply chains for customized production parts, which can lead to innovation in the defense production system. In order for our defense industry to achieve sustainable growth, I will look for practical ways to support the important additive manufacturing technology."