South Korea has approved a defence budget of 20.8 trillion won ($20.2 billion) for 2005, including 7.1 trillion for modernisation projects. The ministry of national defence had requested a budget of 21.5 trillion won, but this was reduced last October by the ministry of planning and budget to 20.8 trillion, with the deferment of the SAM-X surface-to-air missile programme the largest item cut (Flight International, 9-15 November 2004). The National Assembly has approved the 20.8 trillion won budget, which still represents a 9.9% increase over 2004 with operations and maintenance rather than force modernisation benefiting.
The government has meanwhile formally relaunched the Korean Multi-role Helicopter (KMH) programme and abandoned plans to include an attack helicopter in the project. As expected, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will lead the development of a 5,900-6,800kg (13,000-15,000lb) utility helicopter with foreign partners that will be selected later this year (Flight International, 14-20 December 2004). South Korea is preparing to restart a competition to select a foreign manufacturing partner, with a request for proposals expected in March. AgustaWestland, Bell Helicopter and Eurocopter were shortlisted last year before the government halted the programme.
Source: Flight International
