Ministries join forces to improve defense system

The Defense and Information Ministries signed a plan yesterday to collaborate on creating an upgraded defense system. Comprised of 24 sub-projects, the comprehensive plan includes selecting one military camp as a test site and implementing an unmanned surveillance system, radio frequency identification-based distribution asset management system, and telematics-based remote medical system. If the tests go well, those systems will be applied to all of the military. Another project involves establishing cyber rooms so that soldiers can continue their development through online education. The Information Ministry said these computer rooms will prevent recruits from being isolated from society. Internet addiction treatment programs will be available for soldiers who had such problems before they entered the military. Other plans include upgrading the Defense Ministry’s information telecommunications network system and training a professional workforce in information security fields. In the plan, the Information Ministry will be in charge of applying new technology and providing technical support; the Defense Ministry will select the test troops and oversee the management and implementation of the new systems. The ministries will form a task force in June to draw up a detailed plan by the end of this year. The government hopes to supply the technology to the test group by 2010 and expand it to other troops from 2011. by Wohn Dong-hee