The winner will be chosen from among Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II stealth jet, Boeing's F-15 Silent Eagle and the Eurofighter Tranche 3 Typhoon of the European Aerospace Defense and Space Co. (EADS).
Under its 8.3 trillion won (US$7.3 billion) F-X fighter program, Korea will buy 60 next-generation fighter jets.
The DAPA is expected to pick the successful bidder early next month after the price bidding process which will continue through June 28.
The new fighter aircraft will replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s.
On Monday, Lockheed Martin, a U.S. global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technology company, said if it wins the multi-billion dollar fighter project, it will help Korea develop and launch its indigenous military communications satellite.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com