South Korean Authorities Ask Police To Join In Investigating Allegations Of Fighter Jet Technology Leaks By Indonesian Engineers

KF-21 fighter jets. (Source: Defense Acquisition Program Administration)

JAKARTA - South Korea's state arms procurement agency has requested a police investigation regarding alleged efforts by Indonesian engineers to steal the technology of the fighter jet development project of the two countries, defense officials said Thursday.

The Administration of the Defense Acquisition Program (DAPA) submitted the request on Wednesday, after completing a joint initial investigation of the government against engineers sent to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), a KF-21 fighter jet manufacturer under development, officials said.

The engineer was caught last month while trying to retrieve a USB storage device containing data on a fighter jet that was being developed. He is now subject to a ban from leaving South Korea.

DAPA Minister Seok Jong-gun told reporters the agency decided to request an investigation, citing limitations in a joint investigation with the Defense Intelligence Counter Command and the National Intelligence Agency, compared to a full-scale police investigation.

With DAPA's request, police officials are expected to investigate whether the data is classified as a military secret or other technology that violates the Defense Technology Security Act.

When asked if an initial investigation was carried out on the engineer's personal computer, DAPA spokesman Choi Kyung-ho declined to comment but noted that the effort was likely to be carried out through a police investigation.

As previously reported, the South Korean authorities are investigating Indonesian engineers for alleged theft of technology related to the KF-21 fighter jet that was being developed earlier this month.

Engineers sent to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) are suspected of storing KF-21 development data on USB, according to sources at DAPA and the Defense Intelligence Counter Command (DCC).

A team of investigators from the National Intelligence Agency and DCC have checked the data and banned Indonesian engineers from leaving South Korea.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lalu M. Iqbal said the Indonesian government was gathering all information regarding allegations of involvement of Indonesian engineers, while the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul had communicated with the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related agencies.

"The Indonesian Embassy in Seoul has also communicated directly with the Indonesian engineer and confirmed that he is currently not detained," said Iqbal.

"The KF-21 project is a strategic project for both Indonesia and South Korea. The two countries will manage the various problems that arise in this collaboration as best they can," concluded Iqbal.