South Korea, Indonesia Discuss Next Steps for KF-21 Fighter Jet Project

South Korea and Indonesia are actively engaged in discussions to determine the future of their collaboration on the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet project. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has completed the joint development phase, and both nations are now negotiating the specifics of the next stage of cooperation.

“

We are currently discussing the specific form of the next cooperation phase. So, I will not call it a change because we have not announced any decisions yet.

Uhm Taeho, Political Section Chief and Counsellor at the South Korean Embassy in Indonesia, confirmed that discussions are ongoing regarding the precise form of future collaboration. He noted that no definitive decisions have been announced yet, responding to reports that Indonesia might opt for direct purchases rather than continued joint production. "We are currently discussing the specific form of the next cooperation phase," Uhm stated.

Both countries' defense and foreign ministries are involved in intensive talks to deepen their defense partnership. Uhm acknowledged that large-scale defense cooperation projects are influenced by economic conditions and domestic and international situations. He also highlighted the completion of the KF-21 development phase as a significant achievement for Indonesia-South Korea defense relations, despite encountering several obstacles that were overcome through mutual agreement.

“

We are in the process of having very close discussions between Indonesia and Korea, between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of both countries, to deepen and bring our cooperation to the next stage.

Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela, Head of the Center for Asia Pacific and Africa Policy Strategy at Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recognized that priorities may have shifted for both nations during the project's progression. He stated, "After the signing of the joint cooperation agreement, several things emerged in both Indonesia and South Korea. The priorities of the two countries may have shifted during that process."

“

After the signing of the joint cooperation agreement, several things emerged in both Indonesia and South Korea. The priorities of the two countries may have shifted during that process.