Khaled Nordin reviews the process of building South Korean light combat aircraft
SEOUL: Defense Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has begun a five-day working visit to South Korea today to attend a military conference scheduled to start tomorrow.
According to Berita Harian, he is set to attend the Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (REAIM) 2024 Summit, which will take place at the Lotte Hotel here.
In addition, he will also participate in the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) 2024, which will be inaugurated by South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo.
Mohamed Khaled and the Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) delegation arrived at Incheon International Airport at 7:45 a.m. (local time) today and were greeted by the Defense Attaché at the Malaysian Embassy in Seoul, Colonel Mohamad Nazri Ahmad.
REAIM is a global discussion platform for stakeholders in the defense and military sectors, focusing on ensuring responsible military applications of AI.
The REAIM Summit is jointly hosted by the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya, the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland.
In addition to the REAIM and SDD 2024 conferences, Mohamed Khaled is scheduled to pay a courtesy visit to the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Minister, Major General (R) Seok Jong Gun, and have a bilateral meeting with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-Hyun.
Mohamed Khaled is also set to visit Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd (KAI) in Sacheon this Thursday. KAI is set to supply 18 FA-50M combat aircraft to the Ministry of Defense.
The visit to KAI aims to observe the process of building the FA-50M light combat aircraft and to strengthen defense industry ties between the two countries.
During the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) last year, the Ministry of Defense and KAI signed a contract for the acquisition of 18 FA-50M light combat aircraft.
The FA-50M aircraft that the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will acquire is the FA-50 Block 20 variant.
This aircraft is the most modern and capable compared to variants obtained by other countries, including South Korea and several Southeast Asian nations.
The FA-50/T-50 light combat aircraft, made by South Korea, is also used by the air forces of Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines in Southeast Asia.