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Creating a win-win situation

Sponsored Content | April 1, 2020

Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 14 seconds.

Since 1985, Ohbong International Corp. (OBI) of Seoul, South Korea, has served as a trusted two-way conduit for global manufacturers and the Republic of Korea’s (ROK’s) government and defense industry.

“OBI renders service to the ROK’s Ministry of National Defense and the defense industry in the areas of aerospace and defense consulting,” said Bong-Kyun Son, director of aviation systems programs, land and aviation systems business division. “We also play a pivotal role for our global clients as a sales representative.”

As a registered sales representative with the ROK government, Son said OBI has a unique position that few competitors can match. “Capitalizing on our authority to access the ROK government’s procurement system, we can identify, in advance, the items to be procured by the government on an annual basis. This allows us to map out strategies with our international and domestic partners.”

Over the past decade, OBI’s core competency and staffing have been tailored toward the overall support of helicopters, including in the areas of avionics, engines and weapons systems.

More recently, OBI has been focused on developing partnerships with maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) companies.

“This is so we can help maintain the 500-plus legacy and sophisticated helicopters operating in South Korea,” said Son. “We are putting forward the ultimate solution that can prevent AOG [aircraft on ground] due to obsolescence of major items in the ROK’s military.”

Some of the helicopter platforms that OBI supports include the Bell AH-1S; Boeing AH-64 and CH-47; Sikorsky UH-60 and S-92; and Westland Lynx.

These aircraft are flown primarily in support of national defense, domestic relief efforts and rescue missions, which makes OBI’s work very personal for its staff.

“It is essential to us to have the right MRO and spare parts suppliers from the United States and around the globe,” said Son. “We want to benefit the ROK government, military and commercial organizations and secure their highest level of helicopter operations.”

That is a big part of why OBI decided to partner with EXTEX.

“We believe that EXTEX’s production technology, maintenance capability and quality support–as well as its organic cooperative system with aircraft OEMs–will satisfy the needs of ROK helicopter operators and contribute to air safety.”

In turn, Son said OBI’s understanding of the domestic market and the ROK government’s overseas acquisition regulations and processes will help EXTEX expand into South Korea.

It’s the kind of win-win proposition that OBI has become known for and on which it has built its reputation over the last 35 years.

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