'Naraon' A Four-Place Airplane Marketed For Training, Personal Use

The first indigenous GA airplane to be developed and built in South Korea has been introduced in a ceremony held by Korea Aerospace Industries in Sacheon, about 270 miles southeast of Seoul.

Korea Ministry Of Land, Transport Photo

Media sources including the Economic Times and the Sydney Morning Herald report that the aircraft is the first non-military aircraft to be developed by South Korea, which has become the 28th nation to develop and build a GA airplane.

KAI builds a line of primary and supersonic trainers, multi-role fighters, tankers and military helicopters.

KAI claims the Naraon will have a top speed of over 200 knots and a range of about 970 nautical miles. "Once the country concludes a bilateral aviation safety agreement with the United States' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by 2013 as planned, our country will not only secure the status of a private aircraft manufacturer but also become an exporter," the Korean Ministry Of Land, Transport said in a news release.

The price has not yet been firmly set, but the ministry indicates that the Naraon will cost about 600 million won ... which translates to about $560,000.

http://www.koreaaero.com/english/business/kt1_01.asp