RUSSIA TO PAY SOUTH KOREA DEBT WITH HELICOPTERS

Russia could repay its state debt to South Korea by delivering helicopters to the country, the office of the Presidential plenipotentiary envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District said.

Tass news agency reported that the issue was raised during a video conference of Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev and South Korea’s Minister of Economy and Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki.

"Issues of delivering Russian rotorcraft machines to the Republic of Korea in repayment of Russia’s state debt were discussed. According to Russian Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Alexander Morozov, JSC Russian Helicopters is working with interested Korean partners," Trutnev’s press service said in a statement.

Earlier, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport validated the certificate of Mi-171A2, a Russian-made civilian helicopter, effectively authorizing its use in the country. Also, Russian-made Ka-32 and Mi8/17 are already in service in South Korea.