S. Korea, Indonesia to cooperate to sell aircraft globally

Korea Aerospace Industries Co., the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, said Wednesday it had signed an initial agreement with an Indonesian company to sell its products in the global market.

In the 2016 Indo Defence Expo and Forum set to run from Wednesday through Saturday in Jakarta, KAI and PT Dirgantara Indonesia agreed to carry out joint marketing to export aircraft in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, KAI said in a statement.

"The two companies will expand their cooperation in passenger carriers, military aircraft and aerospace businesses," KAI Chief Executive and President Ha Sung-yong said in the statement. 

Under the pact, KAI aims to export the KUH-1 Surion utility helicopters to Indonesia as its military is expected to gradually replace the aging fleet of 200 choppers. It will help the PTDI improve its aircraft maintenance capabilities, and the PTDI will help KAI win local projects in aircraft maintenance, repairs and operations, it said.

The two aircraft companies also plan to jointly develop unmanned aerial vehicles and promote their aircraft in global markets through joint marketing, KAI said. (Yonhap)