Seoul Wants Parts Recall

Air Force Blames U.S. Firm After Missile Misfires

Faulty parts sold to South Korea by a U.S. company through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program caused a South Korean fighter jet to accidentally fire a missile last month, Seoul officials said Monday.

"The power supply component at the back of the launch pad of the F-5E's left wing was found to be faulty," said Major General Cha Jong-kwon, inspector general of the Korean Air Force. "The parts inside the component were not properly bonded and came loose, causing a short circuit that turned on the firing switch."

Officials explained that all the parts in the power supply components must be bonded to prevent air and moisture from getting in and creating short circuits.

One official said the mishap is a result of the "unfair" Foreign Military Sales system.

"Our technicians could not check the safety of the equipment" before installing it, an official on the investigation committee said. Under the system, he said, the purchaser is not allowed to inspect parts in detail in order to protect the manufacturer's patent rights. The U.S. Embassy had no comment on the matter.

On Monday the Seoul government demanded compensation from the U.S. government and the Entron Company, the manufacturer of the components. It also said the parts should be recalled.

Major General Cha also said investigators would consult officials at Entron. South Korean air force officials said they have banned all of its F-5E fighter jets from flying for the next 14 days.

"About 60 of our fighters had the Entron parts installed, so we ordered them to restrict use of the missile systems," an official said.

The South Korean air force has bought 210 of the power supply components since 1998, officials said.

by Kim Min-seok