SEOUL, July 27 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Brazil on Sunday for the first leg of his three-nation South American tour, which will also take him to Chile and Argentina later this week.
After landing at Brasília International Airport, Lee headed to an air force base to inspect a C-390 military transport aircraft manufactured by Brazilian aerospace company Embraer, which South Korea is set to acquire. There, he met South Korean Air Force personnel including pilots, loadmasters and maintenance specialists who have been in Brazil for about four months undergoing training ahead of the aircraft's delivery.
Lee then boarded the aircraft and toured the cockpit, cargo compartment and onboard facilities as Brazilian officials briefed him on its capabilities and operational features.
They explained that the C-390 with a maximum payload capacity of 26 tons can be modified in about 60 to 90 minutes to conduct a wide range of missions including troop and cargo transport, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and aerial firefighting.
They added that South Korea would become the first Asian operator of the C-390 and described Seoul as Brazil's most important defense partner in the region.
Calling it "the first step in defense cooperation with Brazil," Lee said the procurement was significant and expressed hope that the two countries would further expand defense cooperation in the years ahead.
South Korea's purchase of three C-390 aircraft is part of an airlift modernization program worth 883 billion won that runs from 2022 to 2028. The contract was finalized in December 2023, with the first aircraft scheduled for delivery in December and the remaining two expected to arrive by the end of next year.
The C-390 was selected for its comparable capabilities to those of the U.S.-built C-130J, along with lower acquisition costs and more favorable industrial cooperation arrangements.
The procurement program also includes participation by South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing key aircraft components and providing maintenance services. Seoul hopes the partnership will expand to other areas of defense cooperation.
Lee's state visit to Brazil runs through Wednesday and includes a summit with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasília, as well as a business roundtable in São Paulo.
He will then travel to Chile and Argentina to deepen trade, investment and strategic cooperation across the resource-rich region.
After landing at Brasília International Airport, Lee headed to an air force base to inspect a C-390 military transport aircraft manufactured by Brazilian aerospace company Embraer, which South Korea is set to acquire. There, he met South Korean Air Force personnel including pilots, loadmasters and maintenance specialists who have been in Brazil for about four months undergoing training ahead of the aircraft's delivery.
Lee then boarded the aircraft and toured the cockpit, cargo compartment and onboard facilities as Brazilian officials briefed him on its capabilities and operational features.
They explained that the C-390 with a maximum payload capacity of 26 tons can be modified in about 60 to 90 minutes to conduct a wide range of missions including troop and cargo transport, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and aerial firefighting.
They added that South Korea would become the first Asian operator of the C-390 and described Seoul as Brazil's most important defense partner in the region.
Calling it "the first step in defense cooperation with Brazil," Lee said the procurement was significant and expressed hope that the two countries would further expand defense cooperation in the years ahead.
South Korea's purchase of three C-390 aircraft is part of an airlift modernization program worth 883 billion won that runs from 2022 to 2028. The contract was finalized in December 2023, with the first aircraft scheduled for delivery in December and the remaining two expected to arrive by the end of next year.
The C-390 was selected for its comparable capabilities to those of the U.S.-built C-130J, along with lower acquisition costs and more favorable industrial cooperation arrangements.
The procurement program also includes participation by South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing key aircraft components and providing maintenance services. Seoul hopes the partnership will expand to other areas of defense cooperation.
Lee's state visit to Brazil runs through Wednesday and includes a summit with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasília, as well as a business roundtable in São Paulo.
He will then travel to Chile and Argentina to deepen trade, investment and strategic cooperation across the resource-rich region.
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