Indonesia proposes cutting payment for joint fighter jet project with S. Korea to one-third

Indonesia has proposed reducing its payment for a joint fighter jet development project with South Korea to around one-third of its original amount, sources said Monday, amid concerns over its delayed payments. Indonesia recently suggested paying only 600 billion won (US$442.3 million) in total for the KF-21 jet project, they said, after originally agreeing to pay about 20 percent of the 8.1 trillion-won program launched in 2015 to build the advanced supersonic fighter by 2026. Jakarta had initially agreed to pay the sum in return for receiving one prototype model and technology transfers, and producing 48 units in Indonesia, but is said to have proposed reducing the payment amount for fewer technology transfers. It has so far contributed around 300 billion won to the project and has failed to keep up with payment deadlines, leading to questions over its commitment. Indonesia is known to have asked South Korea late last year to defer its payment for the project to 2034, but Seoul has maintained its stanc e that it should be made by the development deadline of 2026. A government official said consultations are under way with Indonesia, adding that the government has yet to decide whether to accept the proposal. Source: Yonhap News Agency