Four citizens selected as national pilots fly airspace

Four South Korean citizens came through a competition of 692:1 to fly airspace on Saturday in the supersonic advanced jet trainer T-50.

The South Korean Air Force has since 2007 selected citizens as national pilots to give them hands-on experience with flying in a fighter jet at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition. With the highest competition recorded this year, the program selected Lee Ho-jeong, an immigrant from Vietnam; Kim Jong-seob, whose younger brother died in the line of duty as an air force pilot; Kim Eui-hyeon, a surgeon; and Yoo Dong-hyun, a college student. Taking off in a T-50 jet at Seoul Airport, the four citizens flew over Jeongdongjin and Samcheok on the east coast and joined combat pilots in air battle drills and tactical mission maneuvering.

Flying over an hour, they were awarded a red muffler, which symbolizes Air Force pilots, and a certificate of national and honorary pilot appointment. “Looking down the peninsula in the domestically developed jet, I could feel the spirits of my dead brother who devoted himself to safeguarding airspace,” Kim Jong-seob said. His younger brother, Major Kim Jong-su, died flying in an F-5 during a nighttime mission above the West Sea in July 2005. “I wish to share a hopeful message with immigrants living in South Korea that they can do whatever they want,” said Lee Ho-jeong, who gained citizenship after getting married.


Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com