Indonesian engineers have been detained in South Korea for allegedly trying to steal the KAI KF-21 Boramae fighter jet technology. They are believed to store the secret data of this fighter program in a USB drive. The data found in the drive is currently being analyzed to see if it consists of strategic technology that should not have been taken.
The KAI KF-21 Boramae is South Korea's effort to develop a 4.5 generation fighter using local expertise. Indonesia is the development partner of the aircraft originally named KAI KF-X with an agreement to bear 20% of the program cost worth 8.8 trillion Won (~RM 32 billion).
In 2021, Indonesia is said to want to reconsider participation due to high costs. Last year they continued their commitment but according to Korean media reports, Indonesia still has arrears of 1 trillion Won (~RM 3.6 billion).
Last year Indonesia was allowed to buy 24 Boeing F-15EX which is a modernized fourth generation fighter with a system almost comparable to the fifth generation fighter. Korea may be worried Indonesia will try to withdraw again but at the same time still access their unpaid technology.