S. Korea signs deal to buy air force equipment from Turkey

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By Sam Kim
SEOUL, April 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's defense minister signed a deal Thursday
for his country to purchase 130 billion won (US$97 million) worth of pilot
training equipment from Turkey by 2011.
The deal signed by the two countries' defense ministers in Seoul will provide
South Korea with "electronic warfare training systems." The equipment trains and
tests air force pilots through simulations involving anti-air missiles, artillery
and aircraft.
"The contract marks the opening of reciprocal defense cooperation between the two
sides," South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee said as he met with his
Turkish counterpart, Vecdi Gonul.
South Korea and Turkey are increasingly active partners in defense trade. South
Korea has exported K-9 artillery guns and KT-1 training aircraft to Turkey while
sharing tank development technology.
Turkey also contributed 15,000 troops to the United Nations command fighting on
South Korea's side when the 1950-53 Korean War broke out. About 800 of them died
and 2,200 were wounded.
Describing the relationship between the two nations as forged in blood, Gonul
said Thursday's deal is the latest outcome of their defense cooperation.
"The previous contracts were the foundation for the most recent one," Gonul said,
responding through a Korean interpreter.
Gonul arrived here on Wednesday and will return home on Friday.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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