SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - South Korea’s defense procurement agency has signed an agreement with Embraer, Brazil’s leading aerospace manufacturer, to deepen industrial ties and expand Korean participation in the company’s global supply chain.
According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) on Monday, the agency signed a memorandum of understanding with Embraer S.A. during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025 in Goyang, just outside Seoul.
The agreement aims to increase the use of Korean-made components in Embraer aircraft exported around the world and to promote broader defense collaboration between the two countries.
Founded in 1969, Embraer is one of the world’s top three civilian aircraft manufacturers, with more than 9,000 aircraft delivered globally. In recent years, the company has been expanding its footprint in the military sector with its C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, which has been adopted by several air forces, including those of Brazil and Portugal.
South Korean small and medium-sized suppliers are already contributing key components to the C-390 program, with exports valued at about 450 billion won ($330 million). Those same parts are expected to be used in the aircraft to be acquired by the South Korean Air Force.
Under the new memorandum, DAPA and Embraer plan to broaden cooperation, allowing Korean firms to become part of Embraer’s global supply network and explore new defense opportunities in Korea and beyond.
“Korean companies play a crucial role in the C-390 project, and this MOU will broaden our cooperation,” Embraer’s chief executive, Francisco Gomes Neto, said in a statement. “We hope to create new success stories in the global defense market with our Korean partners.”
Kang Joong-hee, who heads DAPA’s aviation business division, said the agreement marked “a significant step toward a collaborative growth model that goes beyond a simple buyer-seller relationship between Korea and Brazil.”
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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