{"id":54456,"date":"2018-02-23T18:13:14","date_gmt":"2018-02-23T18:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/23\/south-korea-looks-to-buy-its-own-air-force-one\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:55:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:55:21","slug":"south-korea-looks-to-buy-its-own-air-force-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2018\/02\/23\/south-korea-looks-to-buy-its-own-air-force-one\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea looks to buy its own Air Force One"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SEOUL, South Korea \u2014 South Korea\u2019s presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, wants to purchase an Air Force One aircraft<\/a> to replace its leased VIP plane amid a political debate about the borrowed airliner\u2019s feasibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current presidential jet is a modified Boeing 747-400 airliner leased from Korean Air. The 200-seat plane, built in 2001, is equipped with advanced communication and defense systems, including radar-signal jammers and flares to deflect heat-seeking missiles, according to South Korean Air Force and arms procurement officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe 10-year contract for the leased VIP jet is to be terminated two years from now, so the government should make a decision if it would renew the lease or buy a new one,\u201d a Cheong Wa Dae official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. \u201cGiven the schedule of a public tender, security of budget and plane manufacturing, the decision needs to be made in the first half of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ruling Democratic Party wants to purchase a presidential airliner, citing the country\u2019s growing international reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\t