Seoul seeks to move beyond supplying parts, though talks remain at a very early stage President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin at a Korea-Brazil business roundtable at a hotel in Sao Paulo on Tuesday. (Yonhap) South Korea is exploring participation in Embraer’s planned next-generation commercial aircraft program at the development stage, moving beyond its current role as a parts supplier, Presidential Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom said Tuesday.Kim, however, stressed that discussions with the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer remain at a very early stage and that neither the form of South Korea’s participation nor the commercial terms have been determined.Kim’s explanation came after President Lee Jae Myung identified the joint development of next-generation commercial aircraft as one of three potential engines of Korea-Brazil economic cooperation during a business roundtable in Sao Paulo earlier Tuesday.“Looking ahead, I expect significant progress in three areas: the joint development of next-generation commercial aircraft, supply-chain cooperation in critical minerals and the increasingly popular K-beauty industry,” Lee said.Lee called on South Korean and Brazilian businesses to capitalize on their complementary strengths, outlining a vision for deeper economic cooperation a day after holding summit talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.Speaking to reporters after the roundtable, Kim said Lee’s aircraft proposal centered on possible South Korean participation in an Embraer-led program to develop a new generation of larger commercial jets.According to Kim, Embraer is considering expanding beyond the 70- to 100-seat regional jets that make up its core business in the small and midsize segment and entering the market for full-fledged midsize aircraft capable of carrying 150 to 200 passengers.South Korean companies have supplied components such as sections of fuselages and wings for Embraer aircraft. Seoul now hopes they can participate more deeply in the design and development of the Brazilian company’s next generation of aircraft.“We hope Korea will become more deeply involved in the process than it has been in its cooperation on small and midsize aircraft to date. Embraer has expectations of its own, and so do we,” Kim said during a press briefing.During Lee’s visit to Brazil, Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae and Korea Aerospace Industries President Kim Jong-chool each held one-on-one meetings with Embraer’s chairman to discuss how South Korean companies could participate and how the existing partnership could be expanded, according to Kim.“Embraer explained how it would like Korean companies to participate, while we expressed our hope for a relationship that is much stronger than our cooperation to date,” Kim said. “If we can reach an agreement that goes a step further and even includes the idea of joint development, we hope that will happen. But we will have to wait and see,” he added.Kim said the companies were proceeding cautiously because the global aircraft market is dominated by a handful of manufacturers, including Airbus and Boeing, and any prospective partnership could affect their relationships with competitors.Citing the preliminary nature of the talks, Kim declined to disclose further details about discussions between Korean Air and Embraer.“It is difficult to say anything more detailed about the discussions between Korean Air and Embraer because they are still at an early stage,” he said.Kim said participation in an Embraer-led commercial aircraft program could help South Korea broaden its aerospace industrial base beyond military aircraft, a sector that has largely depended on domestic demand.“At present, KAI produces military aircraft,” Kim said. “But there is a limit to how long KAI can remain confined to a narrow field based solely on South Korea’s demand for fighter jets. KAI needs to expand further in the military aircraft sector, as well as into commercial aviation.”Kim underscored the importance of a broader and deeper partnership with Embraer as a springboard for South Korea’s wider aerospace ambitions.“The commercial aircraft sector, aircraft engines and the space industry are all connected,” Kim said. “We are in a situation where we need to significantly strengthen our aerospace capabilities.”Against that backdrop, Embraer’s next-generation aircraft program could offer South Korea an opportunity to expand its aerospace capabilities.“Embraer is a significant player in the midsize aircraft market. It is one of the world’s three major commercial aircraft manufacturers,” Kim said. “It is drawing up plans to comprehensively upgrade its lineup with next-generation aircraft, so if the conditions are right, we would like to participate.”Kim said such participation could help strengthen South Korea’s capabilities across the broader aviation industry, including commercial aircraft and space, while creating potential synergies with Embraer.The government plans to use the results of Korean Air’s and KAI’s talks with Embraer to develop a broader participation strategy involving other companies and relevant agencies, led by the presidential policy office and the Korea AeroSpace Administration.“Once we return to Korea, we will seriously discuss a comprehensive plan for our participation and, on that basis, further develop our talks with Embraer,” Kim said.