South Korea’s ambitious fighter jet development project was dealt another blow as the country hit a snag in its negotiations with the United States over technical support, according to sources on Tuesday.
Seoul has been expecting final approval from the U.S. State Department on U.S.-based defense firm Lockheed Martin’s transfer of aviation technologies for the Korean Fighter Experimental program, designed to produce domestic combat jets by 2025.
South Korea agreed with Lockheed Martin last year to receive 25 combat jet technologies and the two parties have been negotiating the terms of transferring 21 of the technologies before applying for the State Department’s technology export permission.
The negotiation is facing a major delay, however, as the U.S. side asked the South Korean government to be more specific on the technologies in demand, the sources said.
The sticking point is likely to push back the time of a U.S. export license, originally expected for November, to next year, given the time Seoul needs to take to meet the request, according to the sources.
“(The U.S. side) said the South Korea needs to clarify itself and specify exactly which technologies they want under the 21 aviation technology items,” one of the sources said, quoting the U.S. side.
South Korea plans to dispatch its delegation to the U.S. on Monday to discuss the latest development.
“It could take more than 90 days to negotiate the transfer of certain technologies,” another source said, referring to the complex U.S. process in granting export license in important technologies.
“The U.S. has a different set of export license standards for each technology and for each country,” the source added.
It is another heavy blow to the 18 trillion won ($15.6 billion) local project.
In April, the U.S. refused to approve Lockheed Martin’s transfer of four out of the 25 aviation technologies that Seoul needs. (Yonhap)
