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Kyrgyzstan President Cancels KAI Visit Following Surprise Martial Law Declaration

[비즈한국] The aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of emergency martial law has begun to negatively impact defense exports, starting with the cancellation of the Kyrgyz Republic President's scheduled visit to Korea Aerospace Industries047810 (KAI) on the 4th.

According to industry sources, Sadyr Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, who is currently visiting Korea for a summit, was scheduled to visit KAI on the 4th to inspect the Surion helicopter. While he was specifically expected to hold detailed discussions regarding the export of the Surion, all itineraries were canceled due to President Yoon's declaration of martial law the previous day.

The Kyrgyz Republic has reportedly maintained continuous interest in the Surion. On the 27th of last month, Boobek Azhikeev, the Kyrgyz Minister of Emergency Situations, visited Korea to coincide with the Surion helicopter's test evaluation schedule.

The Surion project was launched with the goal of replacing the aging UH-1H and 500MD utility helicopters operated by the Army and fostering the domestic helicopter industry. With the completion of Surion's development, South Korea became the 11th country in the world to develop its own helicopter. Having grown into an all-weather helicopter capable of performing various military, government, and civilian missions, the Surion is currently drawing interest from several countries, including Iraq and the UAE.

President Sadyr Japarov made an official visit to Korea on the day before martial law was declared, holding a summit with President Yoon around 11:00 AM. This visit was highly significant as it was the first visit by a Kyrgyz President to Korea in 11 years since 2013, and the summit served as an occasion to elevate bilateral relations to a "comprehensive partnership." However, it is reported that the delegation is feeling quite bewildered as uncertainty grows regarding the visit schedule due to the martial law situation.

During the summit, the two leaders agreed to strengthen comprehensive cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, development cooperation, and energy and supply chains. Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, they agreed that North Korea's denuclearization would contribute to peace and stability not only on the peninsula but also globally. They also urged North Korea to comply with its obligations under the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions. Defense industry cooperation was also reportedly discussed.

It is predicted that President Yoon's declaration of martial law will immediately place export marketing on high alert. It appears likely that planned discussions regarding arms exports with other key foreign dignitaries visiting Korea, similar to the case with President Sadyr Japarov, will also be canceled.

The officially announced schedule for the Kyrgyz delegation's visit to Korea was until the 4th. However, it was known that President Sadyr Japarov had a schedule on the 4th to personally ride the domestically produced Surion helicopter and visit the KAI factory. It is reported that the Kyrgyz delegation has decided to adjust schedules that are not essential, such as the Korea-Kyrgyzstan Investment Dialogue.

Nevertheless, it is said that the Kyrgyz side stated they would continue discussions with the company regarding the Surion export. A military expert who requested anonymity explained, "While the cancellation of a foreign head of state's visit due to the President's declaration of martial law may have an immediate negative impact on the positive atmosphere of negotiations, it is expected that there will not be a major long-term impact on exports."