South Korea's arms procurement agency plans to employ more civilians and fewer soldiers, as part of its efforts to reform the organization that has been tainted by a series of corruption scandals, according to the agency's chief.

"We are considering reducing the number of military officers and increasing the number of civil servants," said Lee Yong-geol, head of the country's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Friday.

The remarks come after DAPA officials were linked to faulty parts purchases for a naval salvage ship, making it incapable of participating in rescue operations in April's deadly ferry sinking.

The prosecution is investigating a number of military and DAPA officials on suspicion of corruption.

Links between soldiers working in the DAPA and former soldiers working in the local defense industry have been cited as one of the main causes behind the corruption.

About 50 percent of 1,600 DAPA officials are civilians. The agency's plan is to increase the proportion to 70 percent, sources at DAPA said.

Lee said the DAPA plans to hire more experts from the outside as well as change the status of military officers who have expertise in their own fields to civilians.

"There is an urgent need to block the corruption link between defense firms and soldiers, as they are easily exposed to re-employment," said Lee. (Yonhap)