Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday celebrated the delivery of South Korea's first mass-produced homegrown KF-21 fighter jets, marking a significant milestone in the nation's defense capabilities. The fighter jets, which symbolize the country's aspirations for a self-reliant defense, represent a major step towards making South Korea one of the world's top four defense powerhouses.
According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lee spoke passionately at the delivery ceremony held at the Korea Aerospace Industries headquarters in Sacheon, emphasizing the importance of the KF-21 program, which began in 2015. The initiative aims to replace the aging fleet of U.S.-made F-4 and F-5 jets with a supersonic fighter developed using indigenous technology. Lee highlighted that these fighter jets, designed and built domestically, reflect decades of ambition for self-reliant defense.
Lee also pointed out that the success of the KF-21 jets is not just about enhancing defense capabilities but also gaining momentum to compete with leading global defense powers. He underscored the achievements of South Korea's K9 self-propelled howitzers and Cheongung surface-to-air missiles, which have already demonstrated the country's advanced defense capabilities.
Furthermore, Lee expressed his commitment to sharing South Korea's weapons systems and development experiences with partner nations to bolster the competitiveness of its defense industry. A deal is in the works to export 16 KF-21 fighter jets to Indonesia, marking a potential first for South Korea in overseas sales of indigenous fighter jets.