 |
Kang Gu-young, President of KAI (Photo = Yonhap News) |
[Alpha Biz= Lee Hyung Jin] The lingering fallout from last year's FA-50 aircraft grounding incident, which shook Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) amidst a storm of controversy, has not been resolved, and the issue continues to affect the company.
This ongoing situation is expected to significantly impact KAI's export strategy for the Middle East, an area in which CEO Kang Goo-young has been focusing considerable efforts. Consequently, his re-election strategy could face severe challenges.
According to an investigation by Alpha Biz on Monday, KAI has yet to establish a stable parts supply system capable of resolving the FA-50 grounding issue related to its Polish exports, referred to as the "Poland Incident."
 |
Photo = Yonhap news |
The "Poland Incident" was a term coined by CEO Kang Goo-young during a meeting with KAI executives, referring to the grounding of some FA-50GF aircraft exported to Poland.
Multiple KAI insiders told Alpha Biz that "the Poland Incident, which arose from critical parts supply issues, was resolved by repurposing FA-50 parts from the South Korean Air Force." However, they also noted that the Air Force has shown reluctance to provide further assistance, making KAI's ability to secure its own parts supply chain a matter of utmost importance.
The FA-50 parts from the South Korean Air Force were reportedly borrowed through channels like the presidential office and the Ministry of National Defense, before being returned after use. This situation reportedly caused significant dissatisfaction within the Air Force, with some questioning whether K-Defense exports were prioritized over national security concerns.
Alphabiz 이형진 기자(magicbullet@alphabiz.co.kr)
