Former DAPA Official Kim Jongchul Likely to Become New KAI President

Board to Decide Today... Will It Fill the 8-Month Vacancy?

Yonhap News

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is set to appoint a new president to fill the position that has been vacant for eight months. Former head of the Unmanned Systems Program Department at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), Kim Jongchul, is reportedly the leading candidate.

According to the industry on the 25th, KAI will convene a board of directors meeting on the morning of the 25th to vote on the agenda item for appointing a new president. This will fill the vacancy that has lasted for about eight months since former president Kang Gooyoung resigned on July 1 last year.

Kim Jongchul, the former department head, is said to be the strongest candidate for the new president role. A graduate of the 31st class of the Korea Air Force Academy, Kim served as an Air Force officer for about 23 years. He was then appointed to DAPA in 2006 through a special Grade-4 recruitment. He is known to have closely worked with DAPA Commissioner Lee Yongchul at the time of the agency’s establishment to get it up and running. There is speculation that Commissioner Lee recommended him for the KAI presidency.

KAI faces major tasks such as delivering the Korean fighter jet KF-21 Boramae to the Air Force and pursuing its export. Consequently, there have been continued concerns that the leadership vacuum is having a negative impact.