What exactly is the KF-21? The Indonesian president directly mentioned it, saying "we are not stupid," and it's time to stop this. This money has been poured in without getting even a bit of decent technology or combat capability. What kind of situation is this?

Back in 2015, the contract was signed, stating that R&D costs would be 800 million USD, with Indonesia contributing 20%, about 160 million USD. They hoped to get some technology to become self-reliant later on. But what happened? Indonesia has only paid 200 million USD so far, which is less than a tenth of what was promised. Since the money hasn't come through, there's no way to get the technology. The contract says, "based on contribution," if you don't pay, why should South Korea give you all the technology? Moreover, South Korea has consistently emphasized that it's "compensating for the initial investment" and doesn't need your goods. This statement clearly shows their stance.

Later, there was an incident where an Indonesian engineer took away a lot of technical data. That's it, the already weak trust completely broke down. As you can see, South Korea has now cut Indonesia's share in the project by two-thirds, almost just a nominal collaboration. Indonesia itself knows that this partnership is not promising.

Then, Indonesia directly turned around and signed a deal with France for 54 "Rafale" fighter jets, and also joined Turkey in developing the KAAN stealth fighter. These two countries are not amateurs when it comes to fifth-generation aircraft. To be honest, how much real skill does the KF-21 really have? The majority is from outside suppliers, and the exact proportion is clear to everyone. Looking back at Indonesia's original choice, it's really a bit confusing.

Moreover, South Korean media now blame the "Eastern Power" for "withdrawing." This logic is too forced. Even if the "Eastern Power" withdrew, it cannot be an excuse for South Korea's lack of integrity in the KF-21 project. It's just that South Korea's product is not good enough, plus the issue of trust, leading Indonesia to walk away.

Many domestic enterprises are doing quite well in terms of integrity, which is worth learning. In contrast, South Korea is acting rather unethically in this case. Transnational cooperation is not just about money; it's more about mutual trust and equality. Only through mutual respect can it last long.

Like the KF-21, the contract didn't tie technology transfer with funding from the beginning. Then South Korea refused Indonesia's use of goods as payment. After that, there was a data dispute. Trust was gradually eroded, and Indonesia stopped paying, turning to other countries for collaboration. Isn't that perfectly normal? In short, cooperation isn't just about how money is divided, but also about clearly defining technology sharing and profit distribution. When problems arise, mutual understanding is needed. Without equal respect and integrity, no matter how big the cooperation plan is, it will eventually end up with each party taking what they want, and the partnership will dissolve sooner or later.

This incident serves as a warning to all those involved in transnational cooperation.

You say, the Indonesian president has spoken so clearly, what will South Korea do next?

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