South Korea's Lee Inspects First C-390 Transport Aircraft in Asia, Eyes $6.7B Defense Ties with Brazil

On July 26 (local time), President Lee Jae-myung inspected Brazil's C-390 military transport aircraft during a state visit to Brasilia, marking the aircraft's first export to Asia. Lee, who arrived at the Brasilia Air Base following an 11-hour flight, prioritized visiting the aircraft manufactured by Brazilian aerospace company Embraer over attending summit preparations, signaling deepened defense cooperation between the two nations.

South Korea selected the C-390 to replace its aging C-130H transport fleet in 2023, with a total contract value of approximately 8,830 billion Korean won. Deliveries are scheduled to begin by year-end. The aircraft has a maximum payload of 26 tons and performs roles including troop transport, aerial refueling, medical evacuation, and disaster relief.