Indonesian Engineers Under Investigation For Alleged KF-21 Data Theft
Indonesian engineers working at Korea Aerospace Industries are being investigated for allegedly attempting to steal data related to the KF-21 Boramae being developed by KAI.
According to a Defense Acquisition Program Administration official that spoke to Yonhap and other South Korean press outlets, the engineers fell under suspicion after one was caught in January attempting to smuggle a USB drive containing KF-21 data through a security checkpoint, with a KAI official telling the news agency that the incident happened at a KAI facility.
The Indonesian engineers being investigated have been banned from leaving South Korea, with South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and other agencies now conducting a joint investigation into the alleged theft.
A spokesperson for Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry told CNN Indonesia on Friday that the Indonesian government is collecting information on the allegations, with its embassy in Korea having contacted the South Korean defense ministry. According to the spokesperson, only the engineer that attempted to smuggle the drive is currently under investigation, adding that the engineer in question had been with the program since 2016.
A South Korean official that spoke to Yonhap on condition of anonymity claimed that an initial check of the drive contents found no “strategic technology”, or anything that would violate Korean laws on military or defense industry espionage. The official added that further analysis is to be conducted to confirm if the engineer attempted to steal “serious” data.
This latest incident is likely to further cast doubt on Indonesian intentions for the KF-21 program, with Jakarta originally to receive technology transfer and conduct local assembly for 48 KF-21s for the Indonesian Air Force in exchange for funding 20% of the development program. However, the Indonesian government has been negotiating a change to its payment schedule after missing its payment deadlines, even as it spends on other advanced aircraft like Dassault Rafales.
The Indonesian government insists that it is committed to paying off what it owes, and has resumed payments in November 2023. However, Indonesian Air Force Marsekal Pertama Dedy Laksmono said in October that the Indonesian defense ministry is facing difficulties in receiving more than $94.5 million in annual allocations from the finance ministry to pay off what is owed, while the total sum due to be paid by 2026 is approximately $941.59 million.