On July 9, it was confirmed that the body of the drone used in the coastal reconnaissance drone project ordered by South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) was not Korean-made but Chinese-made.
DAPA stated, “Recently, the company admitted that the aircraft used for testing and evaluation was not domestically produced but of Chinese origin. We are currently reviewing legal action,” adding, “We will take strict follow-up measures according to relevant laws and regulations as soon as the legal review is completed.”
According to the DAPA, this company claimed that although they have imported Chinese-made bodies, they only referred to their shape. The company was selected as a preliminary negotiation candidate for the project worth $31 million in April this year.
Previously in March, the DAPA received a complaint regarding suspicions that the company was using Chinese-made drones, but it was unable to verify the facts at that time.
Since then, in cooperation with the police and the customs office, the DAPA has been conducting in-depth verification on whether it was domestically produced by reviewing the company’s evidence and on-site inspections from last month until recently. It was confirmed that it was not domestically produced.
The company is highly likely to be designated as a disqualified contractor, which would revoke its eligibility to participate in future projects ordered by DAPA and other agencies.
The coastal reconnaissance drone project is the first project to be actualized through the Rapid Demonstration Acquisition System introduced in 2020. This system aims to quickly acquire weapon systems equipped with innovative new technologies from the private sector, following the technological advancements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The acquired systems are then swiftly integrated into military power after purchase and trial operation by the military.
