Aircraft Repairing Company

[Anchor Lead]

The first company specializing in repairing aircraft has been launched in Korea. Korean airlines, which so far had to receive repair services from overseas companies, will be able to save their time and costs.

[Pkg]

An airplane that can carry some 180 passengers enters a service center to undergo a checkup. Until recently, this airline carrier had to receive repair services overseas, but with the opening of the first domestic service company it can get the job done at home.

[Soundbite] Park Seung-shin(Jeju Air) : "We can save time now. We previously needed to send our aircraft overseas to receive repair services. We can also save travel costs and communicate easily with the domestic maintenance personnel."

The Korea Aviation Engineering and Maintenance Service is the first Korean company to specialize in repairing aircrafts operated by private airlines. Founded last year by seven corporations, including the Korea Aerospace Industries, it has received the government designation as an aviation maintenance company. Until now, Korean airlines had to spend one trillion won a year on aircraft maintenance services received overseas. But with the launch of the first domestic company that can keep the repairs within the country, we can save both time and money. The Korea Aviation Engineering and Maintenance Service hopes to expand its services to overseas airliners in the future.

[Soundbite] Cho Yeon-ki(CEO, Korea Aviation Engineering and Maintenance Service) : "We aim to acquire a certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration by July and expand our clientele to overseas airliners as well."

Authorities also plan to set up an aviation maintenance industrial park, which is expected to create more than 20,000 jobs. The government has vowed to spare no support in terms of taxation, technological development and human resources.