Chonbuk National University (President Yang O-bong) will recruit undergraduate students for the newly established 'Advanced Defense Industry Department' starting from the 2026 academic year, becoming the first university in Korea to do so. The Ministry of Education recently approved the department establishment plan submitted by Chonbuk University.

The newly established Advanced Defense Industry Department will have a capacity of 20 students and is the first case in Korea to train defense industry professionals at the undergraduate level. While some universities have operated master's and doctoral programs in the field, this is the first time Chonbuk University is opening an undergraduate program.

This establishment aims to respond to the rapidly changing global security environment, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the US-China power competition, defense cost-sharing issues, and to cultivate specialized personnel needed for the expansion of K-defense exports. In fact, Korea's defense exports have surpassed $50 billion in the last five years, emerging as a national key industry alongside semiconductors and automobiles.

Chonbuk University has been making efforts to foster industry-academia cooperation and nurture talent for K-defense industry advancement in the Saemangeum area. Last year, it established the first defense industry convergence major in Korea, involving participation from around 10 engineering and science departments for cross-disciplinary education and practical training.

The Advanced Defense Industry Department plans to operate a convergent education program that links various fields such as engineering, humanities, social sciences, and foreign languages based on advanced technologies like AI, robotics, and semiconductors. Collaboration with defense industry research institutes and the Advanced Defense Industry Convergence Graduate School will also be expanded.

President Yang O-bong stated, "Through the Advanced Defense Industry Department, Chonbuk University will establish itself as a leading university in training K-defense industry professionals," and added, "We will do our best to cultivate talent that contributes to enhancing national competitiveness and regional industrial development."