The nuclear industry is not the only industry in Korea plagued by the malpractice of parts suppliers fabricating test certificates. The Defense Agency for Technology and Quality has found that similar irregularities had been committed by defense contractors as well.

The arms acquisition watchdog has recently scrutinized all the parts and raw materials used in the 136,844 military items supplied by defense contractors in the last three years. Through the unprecedented inspection, the agency discovered that 34 companies had faked 125 test papers.

The number of falsified certificates would have certainly increased had the inspection been extended to military goods supplied before 2011.

According to the agency, tests on military goods are conducted in three ways. For important parts, tests are usually done at the manufacturers’ facilities. In such cases, test results are reliable, as testing is conducted in the presence of DATQ officials.

For some weapons systems, tests are carried out at special military institutions such as the Agency for Defense Development. In these cases, there is also little room for falsification of test data.

For most parts and materials, however, testing is done at certified external institutions without the supervision of DATQ inspectors, leaving room for companies to manipulate test results.

The watchdog said the Defense Ministry had until recently never attempted to examine the test certificates issued by outside institutions. This is an obvious neglect of oversight duties. The DATQ, which was established in 2006, cannot escape blame either.

More than two-thirds of the 34 companies manufacture parts for some of the Korean military’s key weapons systems, such as the K-9 self-propelled howitzer, the Surion, which is Korea’s first indigenous light utility helicopter, and the M48 tank.

These sophisticated weapons systems could malfunction if any of their parts is defective. The agency, however, said that the parts supplied by the identified companies did not seriously damage the weapons systems. Yet it is necessary to have the contractors recall all items with fake parts and materials.

The agency said it has referred the companies to the prosecution for investigation. To root out the malpractice, stern punishments should be meted out to them, including exclusion from defense projects for some time.

At the same time, it is also necessary to step up the DATQ’s involvement in the testing done by external institutions. It should ensure that tests are conducted only at designated institutions.

Another way to enhance quality control is to hold primary contractors accountable when their parts manufacturers are found to have supplied fake products.