Air Force chief says raid on Osan Air Base had 'no procedural issues'

Air Force Lt. Gen. Son Sug-rag attends a plenary session of the Air Force at the headquarters in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province, Thursday. Yonhap

A special counsel team's raid on Osan Air Base, which hosts both Korean and U.S. forces, in July had "no procedural issues," Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Son Sug-rag said Thursday, refuting controversy over the raid.

In July, special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team carried out a search and seizure on the air base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, as part of its investigation into allegations that drones were sent to Pyongyang ahead of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law imposition last year.

U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. David Iverson has reportedly lodged a complaint to Seoul's foreign ministry, expressing concerns over the search conducted without prior consultations with the U.S. side.

"I admit the situation could have been misleading, but as far as I know, (the USFK) is currently resolving its misunderstanding," the Air Force chief said during a parliamentary audit session. "Procedurally, there were no problems."

Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party claimed the raid should have been conducted after consultations with the U.S. side, saying it has "damaged" the alliance between the countries and blaming the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) for launching a "deformed" special counsel investigation.

DPK lawmakers protested vehemently, leading to a temporary suspension of the audit session.

Kim Hyung-soo, head of the Air Force Operations Command, explained that the search was conducted in accordance with due procedure under a memorandum of understanding between the allies governing the raided facility, saying it did not require prior consultation with the United States.

Meanwhile, the Air Force aims to secure sixth-generation fighter jets designed for future warfare by the mid-to-late 2040s, according to a report submitted to the parliamentary audit session Thursday.

Under the plan, the Air Force will also develop collaborative combat aircraft designed to operate in conjunction with existing FA-50 light attack fighters and KF-21 fighter jets by the 2030s.

The envisioned sixth-generation fighter project is intended to secure complete technology ranging from stealth mode, light armed aircraft, engines and quantum communication mode in order to make up for the antiquated F-16 fighter jets.