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Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) headquarters in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. (Photo courtesy of KAI) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is set to appoint Kim Jong-chul, former head of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Program Division at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), as its new chief executive officer, according to defense industry sources.
KAI is scheduled to convene a board meeting on Tuesday to approve Kim’s appointment as CEO, the sources said Monday.
Kim is a graduate of the Republic of Korea Air Force Academy, Class of 31, and served as an Air Force officer before joining DAPA in 2006 as a specially recruited Grade 4 official at the agency’s inception.
During his tenure at DAPA, Kim held a number of key positions, including head of the Defense Export Support Team, director of the Offset Trade Division, planning and coordination chief, and director general of the Defense Technology Protection Bureau. He is widely regarded as a defense acquisition and planning expert with extensive experience in arms exports and procurement policy.
KAI has been without a permanent CEO for about eight months since the departure of former CEO Kang Goo-young in July last year. The prolonged leadership vacancy has effectively stalled major decision-making, prompting growing calls from both inside and outside the company for the swift appointment of a new chief executive.
Meanwhile, KAI’s labor union has strongly opposed the planned appointment, criticizing it as a politically motivated “parachute” hire under the current administration.
In a statement released Monday, the union argued that Kim had been associated with the presidential campaign and was previously mentioned as a candidate for DAPA chief before being passed over, raising concerns that he is now being placed at KAI instead. The union said the selection of KAI’s CEO should be based on industrial management capabilities rather than political ties.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
