AJP Asia Intelligence Agency
KAIs first two FA-50M jets arrive in Malaysia KAI's first two FA-50M jets arrive in Malaysia

South Korean aircraft maker Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said Monday that its first two FA-50M light combat aircraft had arrived at Malaysia's Kuantan Air Base, marking the start of deliveries under an 18-jet export contract signed in 2023. The aircraft arrived Sunday after departing Sacheon, South Korea, on Oct. 29 and flying through Jeju, Laoag in the Philippines and Labuan in Malaysia. KAI pilots were accompanied by Royal Malaysian Air Force (RM

Hanwha wins first U.S. Navy shipbuilding contract Hanwha wins first U.S. Navy shipbuilding contract

Hanwha Defense USA, a subsidiary of South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace, has secured a $269 million contract to build a landing ship for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, marking its first U.S. Navy shipbuilding contract. The company was selected by U.S. maritime services firm TOTE Services to construct one Landing Ship Medium (LSM) at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, with options to build three additional vessels, according to statements released by

South Koreas KF-21 flies with US Air Force jets for first time South Korea's KF-21 flies with US Air Force jets for first time

South Korea's domestically developed KF-21 fighter jet flew in formation with U.S. Air Force aircraft for the first time over the Yellow Sea, military officials said Friday. The flight took place on Oct. 23 and involved a KF-21 assigned to the 156th Fighter Squadron under the South Korean Air Force's 16th Fighter Wing. The U.S. Air Force deployed a U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft from the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron, along with F-35 and

K-choppers struggle to lift off amid factory-floor constraints K-choppers struggle to lift off amid factory-floor constraints

Rows of unfinished helicopters dotted Korea Aerospace Industries’ (KAI) rotary-wing assembly plant in Sacheon, their pale green and peach-colored bodies exposing the nuts and bolts of South Korea’s next defense ambition. Sacheon on South Korea’s southern coast is breeding the country’s next defense ambitions. The problem is they are missing a crucial element for liftoff. "We are currently focusing on mass prod

S. Korea, US defense chiefs meet amid wartime command dispute S. Korea, US defense chiefs meet amid wartime command dispute

South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul met U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for the first time in the Philippines on Wednesday, amid differences over the timing of transferring wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul. The meeting took place in Cebu, where both ministers are attending the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), scheduled for Thursday. South Korea's defense ministry released photographs of the two minis

Seoul says North Korean artillery near Gimpo is not new weaponry Seoul says North Korean artillery near Gimpo is not new weaponry

South Korea said Tuesday that North Korean artillery spotted near Gimpo was older weaponry, not the new military systems Pyongyang had threatened to deploy. The clarification came after North Korean artillery, believed to be 122-mm self-propelled howitzers, was photographed near the coast of Kaepung County in North Korea, directly across from Gimpo in Gyeonggi Province. Photos taken Sunday from Aegibong Observatory, about 1.5 kilometers from North Korean

Military probes security lapses after woman damages GOP fence Military probes security lapses after woman damages GOP fence

South Korea's military is investigating security lapses after a woman in her 30s entered a restricted border area and damaged surveillance sensors along a military fence near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Tuesday. The Ground Operations Command began investigating the unit involved on Monday, reviewing its overall security operations and response to the incident, a JCS official said On Oct. 24, the woman entered

Seoul, Washington in close talks to set OPCON transfer year Seoul, Washington in close talks to set OPCON transfer year

South Korea and the United States are in close consultations to complete a key military capability assessment and set a target year for transferring wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul, Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Monday. Speaking at a parliamentary audit of the Ministry of National Defense, Kang said the two allies are working toward completing the Full Operational Capability (FOC) verification and determining a specific year for the tran

Hyundai Rotem rebuilds homes for Korean War veterans in Türkiye Hyundai Rotem rebuilds homes for Korean War veterans in Türkiye

South Korean defense manufacturer Hyundai Rotem has renovated and rebuilt homes for Korean War veterans and their families in Türkiye, as part of a four-year initiative to honor foreign soldiers who fought alongside South Korea during the 1950-53 war. The company said Monday it held a completion ceremony for its "Heroes' Home" project in Hatay Province, Türkiye, on Thursday, marking the first stage of a housing assistance program sch

South Korea proposes military talks with North to clarify MDL South Korea proposes military talks with North to clarify MDL

South Korea renewed its call for military talks with North Korea on Friday to clarify the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), restore military communication lines and prevent accidental border clashes. The proposal follows a September 21 land mine explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). A military investigation concluded that the explosion was caused by North Korean mines planted south of the MDL. The incident