SeoulTech Opens the Defense Institute of Science and Technology (DIST)

To be actively used in defense force development and national defense operations using specialized fusion practical technologies

On September 10th, SeoulTech announced the opening of the Defense Institute of Science and Technology (DIST) at the Techno Cube Center in Room 308 with President Kim Jong Ho, the ROK Army Education Commander, the ROK Army Combat Development Head, and others attending the event.

In March 2019, SeoulTech opened the Defense Security Research Center and began to cultivate professionals in defense and security by offering a National Defense Engineering major in the Graduate School of General Studies. In order to support the development of national defense scientific technologies using 4th Industrial Revolution technologies and cooperate with the Ministry of Defense, SeoulTech opened DIST.

DIST will allow professors from the ROK Army Education Command’s top scientific technology projects to participate in joint research and work with SeoulTech’s academic industrial and military scientific technology cooperation to further develop and allow for the creation of new defense-related fusion practical technologies.

President Kim Jong Ho, ROK Army Education Command Commander Choi Young Cheol, Combat Development Head Shin In Ho, Technology Fusion Graduate School Head Jang Dong Young, DIST National Defense Cooperation Team Head Oh Jung Il, and other professors and army representatives attended the event which included a briefing of the creation of the institute, ceremony, ceremonial photos, and a short meeting.

Professor Jang Dong Young, who will be the first Head of DIST, has created a fusion technology research team, a national defense scientific technology policy research team, and an applications concept research team. DIST will work on policy research to develop national defense fusion practical technologies and conduct applications concept research to systematically apply such research through an integrated research system.

President Kim said, “We will focus on creating the top national defense technology research institute and using our research capabilities to cultivate scientific technology professionals and create the first national defense scientific technology graduate school within several years.”

ROK Army Education Command Commander Choi Young Cheol said, “With the creation of DIST, we hope that national defense technology research will continue to develop and also result in an increase in specialized university research labs. We are grateful for SeoulTech for playing an important role in promoting national defense research.

SeoulTech is also planning on hosting an opening seminar for DIST with the ROK Army in the second half of 2019 called the ‘2030-2050 National Defense Scientific Technology Development Roadmap.’