The Korea Military Academy and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point will introduce a professor-exchange program, official here said Tuesday.

According to the Korean Army, the Korea Military Academy chief Lt. Gen. Park Jong-sun and West Point superintendent U.S. Army Lt. Gen. David H. Huntoon agreed to the program in January, and the two institutions plan to sign a memorandum of understanding on the issue following approval from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Park and Huntoon agreed to the program during the latter’s visit to Seoul, when the military academies of the two countries signed a declaration of partnership.

The U.S. side is reported to be waiting for approval from the Department of Defense. As such, the MOU is expected to be signed during the first half of the year, which would allow the professor exchange program to be put in place during the second half of the year, Korean officials said.

Following the implementation of the program, the Korea Military Academy and West Point will each send one professor to teach at the other institution for one year.

Among the military academies of the three branches of the Korean military, the Korea Military Academy is the last to establish a professor exchange program with the U.S. counterpart.

The Korea Air Force Academy began operating a professor exchange program with its U.S. counterpart in 1993, while the system for Korea Naval Academy was introduced in 1997.

The delays for the Korea Military Academy, which trains army officers, were caused by the U.S. involvement in Iraq despite talks first taking place in 1999.

By Choi Hee-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)