BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST-SHIPMENT END-USE CHECK ON

UNCLAS SEOUL 001823 SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/DTCC-BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AU ETTC KOMC KS SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST-SHIPMENT END-USE CHECK ON LICENSE 050185114 REF: A) STATE 109784 ¶1. Per reftel, Post contacted UI Helicopter (UIH),the ROK Defense Acquisition and Procurement Administration (DAPA) and the ROK Army Logistics Command by phone, facsimile and email to verify the bona fides of the above-referenced transaction. ¶2. Woo Kwang-hee, senior manager of UIH confirmed to Post that the company received the deck assembly from Universal Technologies Corporation in the United States on September 8, 2009. Woo informed Post that the company completed the overhaul maintenance by incorporating the deck assembly into the ROK Army Logistics Command's UH-1H helicopter on October 6, 2009. ¶3. Yang Seung-dae, deputy director of the ROK Army Logistics Command also confirmed to Post that the UH-1H helicopter overhauled by UIH was received on October 7, 2009. ¶4. UIH, formerly known as Korea Bell, was founded as a joint-venture with U.S.-based Bell Helicopter in 1986 to handle sales, overhaul maintenance and production of helicopters. In May 1994, UIH acquired the total stake from the U.S. partner. In July 2009, Korea Bell changed its company name to UI Helicopter Co. Ltd. Prior to the termination of the joint-venture in 1994, Korea Bell dealt only in Bell Helicopters from the United States. The main purpose of changing its company name was to expand its business product base to handle additional helicopters unrelated to the Bell brand. It is common for South Korean companies to change names frequently in order to promote a specific corporate image. ¶5. DAPA verified that the company has been recognized as UIH since it changed its business name from Korea Bell. DAPA also confirmed that since 1990 UIH has been an official supplier of defense materials. ¶6. UIH is headquartered at Hangjong Building, 1460-10, Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, the Republic of Korea (ROK). Its maintenance and production facility is located at 8-10, Hyorim-ri, Sapgyeo-eup, Yesan-gun, South Chooncheong Province, ROK. ¶7. This investigation was conducted by phone, facsimile and email. Supporting documents will be separately sent by email. STEPHENS