Ministry rebukes Dassault on 'smear'

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Ministry rebukes Dassault on 'smear'

The Ministry of National Defense expressed regret Wednesday over statements by Dassault Aviation saying that the arrest of a South Korean Air Force colonel was part of a smear campaign. The French manufacturer is competing with Boeing of the United States for the nation's jet fighter project, called F-X.

"We called Michel Holder, Dassault International's Korea branch manager, and Yves Robins, Dassault vice president for international relations, to the ministry and delivered a letter expressing our regret," said a senior Defense Ministry source.

The letter was signed by Choi Dong-jin, the ministry's procurement director.

Talking to the Financial Times and Agence France-Presse on Tuesday, the French firm's officials said allegations that it had bribed a South Korean air force colonel in return for advice about the $3.2 billion dollar contract were a malicious fabrication.

"For the time being, we suspended our registered agents with the National Defense Ministry from furthering any activities for the F-X project," Mr. Robins said. The French firm said that it regrets that its media statements were misunderstood, and it has scheduled a press briefing on Thursday to clarify its stance on the F-X project.

On Wednesday morning, the arrested Colonel Cho Ju-hyeong's wife and his lawyer met with reporters and released a tape recording of testimony by Colonel Cho. The colonel was arrested Saturday on charges of accepting bribes and leaking classified information. According to the testimony, Mr. Choi, the defense procurement director, said in January 2001 that Washington may withdraw its troops from Korea if Boeing loses the bid, and pressured Colonel Cho, then deputy leader of the evaluation team, to revise the selection criteria to favor the U.S.-built F-15K.

"That assertion carries absolutely no credibility," said Lee Ferguson, spokeswoman for the United States Forces Korea. Mr. Choi also denied trying to influence the F-X selection.

by Kim Min-seok

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