Close negotiations between Indonesia and South Korea about the KF-21 fighter plane project
May 9, Seoul According to a foreign ministry official on Thursday, South Korea is in close communication with Indonesia on its revised proposal to lower its cost-sharing for the KF-21 fighter aircraft program.
According to Yonhap news agency, Indonesia has proposed to the Seoul government that it reduce its payment portion and pay around 600 billion won (US$442.3 million) in total by 2026 for the KF-21 aircraft project instead of the original 1.6 trillion won.
“South Korea and Indonesia are continuing close communication and consultations between relevant authorities to smoothly conclude strategic cooperation projects, such as the joint development of fighter jets,” the official told reporters.
In 2016, Indonesia agreed to pay 20 percent of the 8.1 trillion won overall development cost in exchange for one prototype model and technology transfers that would enable it to manufacture 48 units domestically.
In an apparent attempt to avoid delaying the construction project, Seoul’s official procurement agency made a suggestion on Wednesday that it would accept Indonesia’s bid, stating that it would make a decision as early as late May.
“We are advocating for actions to modify the extent of technology transfer to Indonesia in accordance with the revised cost sharing,” said Noh Ji-man, the director general of the KF-X Program Group under the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, at a press conference.
