Promised a New Helicopter, But Delivered a 'Military Remanufacture'… Are There Alternatives for Wildfire Helicopters?

[Anchor]

Investigative reporter Bae Yeo-un, who covered this issue, is here with us in the studio.

Q. Why did the Korea Forest Service agree to the contract change?

[Reporter Bae Yeo-un : This model helicopter is the exact US company helicopter currently housed in the Korea Forest Service hangar. Since it is owned by a US company, we cannot seize it. An ultra-large helicopter like this, capable of carrying 10,000 liters of water at once, is indeed essential equipment for wildfire sites. The problem stemmed from the Korea Forest Service agreeing to the contract change without thoroughly examining the vendor's faults. The Forest Service explained that there was only one ultra-large helicopter model available within the budget at the time of the contract that had no certification issues, but production of that model happened to be suspended starting in 2024, leaving no alternatives. They stated that terminating the contract and purchasing a new one would create a gap in wildfire suppression during the interim, which is why they opted for a contract modification instead of cancellation.]

Q. Have investigative authorities also launched probes?

[Reporter Bae Yeo-un : First, a report on corruption has been filed with the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, and an investigation is currently underway. The core subjects of the probe are whether the process of changing the purchase to a military remanufactured helicopter operated for over 40 years instead of a new one was appropriate, and whether the purchase price was fair. The Board of Audit and Inspection has also stepped in. It has included this project in its regular audit of the Korea Forest Service and is conducting a full-scale investigation.]

Q. Are there any alternatives for 'wildfire helicopters'?

[Reporter Bae Yeo-un : In the short term, the Korea Forest Service plans to further increase the operation rate of existing helicopters and additionally lease helicopters from abroad. Experts point out that because the helicopter acquisition project has already been delayed and even certification issues have become opaque, future helicopter acquisitions require a complete overhaul in both approach and methodology. Rather than securing a budget and making purchases after a major wildfire breaks out every time—akin to mending the barn after losing the cow—a long-term roadmap must be established. Furthermore, it is urgent to set up a system that thoroughly pre-verifies everything from model safety and past history to certification status.]

(Video reporting: Seol Min-hwan, Video editing: Lee Hong-myung, Design: Park Taeyoung and JUNHO, PD: Kim Do-kyun and Han Seung-ho, XR: Choi Jae-young and Park Cheon-woong, VJ: Kim Jun-ho, Data provided by: Office of Representative Yoon Jun-byung, Video provided by: Columbia Helicopters YouTube, YouTube and SNS sources: Jarasum Yeonggu, Jirisan Sancheong-sali, Bichawa Naltteul, Film Master)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.