By Yi Whan-woo
The National Assembly is seeking to adopt a motion calling for the government to look into the country’s troubled fighter jet development project.
Lawmakers of the Assembly's National Defense Committee started a debate on whether to adopt the motion Wednesday, amid speculation that most members of the panel will support the motion.
If it is approved at a plenary session, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) must open an investigation into the KF-X project, led by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
The project is designed to replace the Air Force’s aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s and build indigenous combat jets by 2025. The total estimated costs will be 18 trillion won ($15.7 billion).
DAPA, which is under the wing of the Ministry of National Defense, agreed with Lockheed Martin, a U.S. arms manufacturer, to receive 25 aviation technologies related to F-35 stealth fighters in return for purchasing 40 F-35s in a deal in September 2014.
Lockheed Martin, however, has been refusing to transfer four core technologies, citing disapproval of the U.S. Department of State that reviews whether to export highly-sensitive military technology.
The four core technologies -- active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, infrared search and track (IRST), electronic optics targeting pod (EOTGP) and RF jammer -- are seen as essential elements for Korea to build fighter jets of its own.
Korea and the U.S. also face a delay in transfer of the remaining 21 technologies in their prolonged negotiations.
In October, President Park Geun-hye sacked then senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs Ju Chul-ki for the botched defense deal.
The Park administration still has not fully explained about the cause of the failure of the transfer and how the government can resolve it.
“The government can win the people’s trust only if it handles this case in a responsible manner,” said Rep. Chung Doo-un of the ruling Saenuri Party, who also chairs the defense committee. “We have no option other than having the BAI inspect the matter if no defense officials are willing to take responsibility.”
Yoon Hu-duk, a main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) legislator and also a member of the committee, agreed.
“People are concerned that the government may eventually fail to complete the KF-X project while spending a tremendous amount of money,” he said. “The government must explain what has gone wrong.”