South Korea

By Graham Warwick
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Chen Chuanren
Korean Air’s Aerospace Division and Hyundai Rotem have launched a joint program to develop a 35-ton-class reusable methane rocket engine for launch vehicles.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Chen Chuanren
South Korea launched its KSLV-II, better known as the Nuri rocket, in the early hours of Nov. 27, marking the vehicle's fourth flight.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Chen Chuanren
The city of Daegu, South Korea, is in the final stages of completing the master plan and basic design for a new civil-military airport.
Airports & Networks

By Chen Chuanren
The Korean National Police Agency has ordered one Airbus H225 medium-lift helicopter, which will become the largest rotorcraft in its fleet.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The launch window at the Alcantara Space Center in Brazil now runs to Dec. 22, the company says.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Kurt Hofmann
South Korea-based AirZeta, emerging from Asiana Cargo and Air Incheon, has been in operation for four months and is outlining its first results.
Airlines & Lessors

By Robert Wall
South Korean launch services company Innospace is aiming to conduct the first flight of its Hanbit-Nano rocket on Nov. 22.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Kim Minseok
South Korea is launching a multiyear program to design, build and test a full-scale, crewed stealth fighter technology demonstrator.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
The Republic of Korea Air Force plans to field aircraft piloted by artificial intelligence by the early 2030s to fly alongside KAI F-50 and KF-21 fighters.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Chen Chuanren
South Korea placed its fifth military Earth observation satellite into orbit, completing a constellation that provides the country with EO and SAR capability.
Satellites

By Graham Warwick
South Korea has launched the second phase of its advanced air mobility demonstration project with urban demonstration flights in the city of Incheon, bordering the Korean capital Seoul.
Advanced Air Mobility

By David Casey
South Korea’s Parata Air has applied to the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) for a foreign air carrier permit and exemption authority.
Airports & Networks

By Chen Chuanren
North Korea has claimed it tested two hypersonic missiles on Oct. 22, describing them as part of an “important weapon system,” according to state media reports.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Steve Trimble
South Korea, Japan and Taiwan are possible sales targets in Asia for the newly unveiled X-BAT VTOL collaborative combat aircraft, a Sheild AI official says.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Kim Minseok
LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Aerospace unveiled six new air-launched missiles currently in prototyping during the ADEX 2025 defense exhibition in Seoul.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Steve Trimble
Sikorsky abstained from bidding the CH-53K to South Korea after failing to get the government to hike the budget, leaving the Boeing CH-47 as the only bidder.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
The South Korean government will have at least two alternatives next year for a scheduled decision on whether to buy an additional batch of Boeing P-8As.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Kim Minseok
Hanwha Systems and LIG Nex1 are competing for dominance in South Korea's market for military synthetic aperture radar satellites.
Satellites

By Kim Minseok
South Korea's Hyundai Rotem is expanding beyond ground weapons into the aerospace and missile market, signaling a new focus on rocket and ramjet engine work.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Steve Trimble
The next step for the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat is a flying demonstration next year.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Kim Minseok
KAI’s concept rebrands Collaborative Combat Aircraft as Adaptable Aerial Platforms.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Kim Minseok
Hanwha Aerospace has unveiled the design of the first member in a family of future turbofan engines at ADEX 2025 that are sized between 5,500-17,000-lb. thrust.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
South Korean launch service newcomer Innospace says it has received approval from the government to support the inaugural flight of its Hanbit-Nano rocket.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Steve Trimble
Lockheed Martin’s long tech collaboration with KAI could see development of a military variant of the high-speed X2 rotorcraft platform, a Lockheed exec says.
Aircraft & Propulsion