Kang Gu-young, president of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), will retire on July 1, about three months before the end of his term. Kang, who took office in September 2022, shortly after the Yoon Suk-yeol administration began, expressed his intention to resign on the 4th after the government changed.
After expressing his intention to resign, Kang prepared for the handover to the next president while checking on the additional export contract for the multipurpose fighter FA-50 to the Philippines and the additional order for the next-generation fighter KF-21. During Kang's tenure, KAI achieved several milestones, including the first export of the Korean helicopter Surion and the export of the FA-50 to Poland.
KAI will operate under an acting president system until the next representative is appointed. KAI is expected to hold an interim board meeting on the 1st and appoint Vice President Cha Jae-bung, who is registered as an internal director and heads the fixed-wing institutional sector, as acting president.
Kang, a graduate of the 30th class of the Air Force Academy, has held positions such as commander of the 5th Tactical Airlift Wing, deputy chief of staff of the Air Force, and director of the Military Support Headquarters of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He participated in the development of domestic training aircraft, including the KT-1 and T-50, as a first-generation test pilot in the country.