Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Department of Advanced Defense Technology and Industry Specially Appointed Professor Cheon-Seok Kim (Retired Army Major General) was appointed on October 6 as the new Director of the Defense Rapid Acquisition Technology Institute, an affiliate of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD).

Director Kim, a graduate of the 47th class of the Korea Military Academy who was commissioned in 1991, is an expert in the fields of defense and defense acquisition. He has held major military posts including Director of the Ministry of National Defense's National Assembly Cooperation Division, Commander of the 35th Infantry Division, Chief of the Army Planning and Management Staff, Director of Combat Development at the Army Training Command, and Acting Commander of the Army Training Command.

In particular, he has been involved in the Army's future capability development at the Army Training Command, focusing on combat development responsive to changes in future battlefield environments and on creating requirements for advanced forces. Based on this experience, he is regarded as well suited to promote the rapid adoption of advanced civilian technologies by the military and to drive innovation in the defense acquisition system.

The Defense Rapid Acquisition Technology Institute is a defense acquisition organization established in 2023 as an affiliate of the Agency for Defense Development. It performs key tasks supporting innovation in defense acquisition, including rapid demonstration projects to swiftly apply advanced civilian technologies to the military and projects to maximize the performance of existing forces.

As advanced technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence (AI), and unmanned systems have recently emerged as key elements of future battlefields, the importance of rapid acquisition systems that can transform the traditional, time-consuming weapon system procurement process and secure advanced technologies the military needs in a timely manner has grown.

Director Kim is expected to contribute to securing advanced military capabilities and to the development of rapid acquisition systems, drawing on his understanding of operational employment and future capability requirements and his accumulated experience in force planning and combat development.

Meanwhile, JBNU's Department of Advanced Defense Technology and Industry has secured leading domestic and international experts in the fields of defense and defense acquisition as faculty, and is expanding industry–university–research collaboration while training specialists who integrate advanced defense technologies with defense industry policy and management.

Professor Cheon-Seok Kim's appointment as Director of the Defense Rapid Acquisition Technology Institute is expected to underscore the standing of JBNU's Department of Advanced Defense Technology and Industry in the defense and defense acquisition fields and the strength of its human networks. It is also anticipated to be meaningful in broadening opportunities for academic exchange between the university and defense research institutions and for cooperation in training specialized personnel in advanced defense industries.