Park Wan-su meets KAI chief, calls company 'key' to aerospace ambitions

South Gyeongsang Province Governor Park Wan-su met with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) CEO Kim Jong-chul at the provincial government building Thursday to discuss strategies for developing the aerospace industry and key pending issues, the province said. The meeting was the first official sit-down between Park and a KAI chief executive since the launch of the eighth elected term.

The province arranged the meeting to align the central government's aerospace industry promotion strategy with industrial sites in the province and to expand the participation of local companies.

South Gyeongsang Province and KAI reviewed major agenda items, including participation in the international joint development of a next-generation civil aircraft, the push to build a Korean low-earth-orbit satellite communications network, the revitalization of aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul operations, the establishment of an advanced air vehicle demonstration center, and the hosting of the aerospace and defense industry exhibition at the 2026 Sacheon Airshow.

Kim outlined plans to shift KAI's business structure away from its defense-heavy focus toward the civilian sector. The company intends to press ahead with FA-50 exports and KF-21 mass production without disruption while expanding into civilian businesses such as commercial aircraft and advanced air vehicles.

The government had earlier designated the international joint development of a next-generation civil aircraft and the construction of a Korean low-earth-orbit satellite communications network as national core projects at the fifth National Space Council meeting. KAI is currently participating in the public-private joint task force for the international civil aircraft co-development program.

South Gyeongsang Province is currently pursuing three space cluster foundation projects: the Sacheon Satellite Development Innovation Center, the Jinju Space Environment Testing Facility, and the Jinju-Sacheon next-generation satellite global regulation-free special zone. Park asked KAI to take the lead in securing national projects such as the low-earth-orbit satellite communications network program so that the benefits can ripple out to local partner companies.

South Gyeongsang Province and KAI also agreed to cooperate on the successful staging of the 2026 Sacheon Airshow. The event is scheduled to be held at Sacheon Airbase from Oct. 22 to Oct. 25, with four co-hosting organizations — South Gyeongsang Province, KAI, Sacheon City and the Republic of Korea Air Force — sharing responsibilities in the preparations.

"KAI is the only aircraft systems integrator in South Korea and the core of South Gyeongsang Province's aerospace industry," Park said. "For the government's strategy to translate into results on the ground, KAI's role is more important than anything else. Bold investment at the national level is also needed to support KAI's continued growth."