Indonesians Accused of Stealing Fighter Jet Tech by South Korean Police
- Vigilant Heroes
South Korea – Two Indonesian nationals working for a South Korea-Indonesia fighter jet program in Seoul have been ordered not to leave the country as authorities investigate a suspected leak of technology from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of South Korea confirmed that two Indonesian nationals were arrested in January 2024.
They're suspected of attempting to take files related to the project stored on a USB drive.
According to a police officer from the Gyengnam Provincial Police Bureau, the search operation continued until Friday (March 15).
Pesawat tempur KF 21 proyek Indonesia-Korsel yang diproduksi KAI
- Vigilant Heroes
A spokesperson for the Defense Acquisition Program (DAPA) ensured their cooperation with the police during the search. They claimed readiness to provide anything to facilitate the investigation and uncover the truth.
For context, Indonesia and South Korea are partners in building the KF-21 fighter aircraft.
As quoted from KBS, Indonesia agreed to pay 20 percent of the project's cost until June 2026, with 48 fighter jets set to be produced.
However, South Korean authorities mentioned Indonesia's arrears in payment, citing a lack of funds.
Meanwhile in early February, spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, stated that the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul had been communicating with the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant institutions to further investigate the case.
