It was a joint effort between KAI and government body Agency for Defense Development (ADD); the latter was responsible for overseeing the project, while the former performed the detailed design work as well as the majority of manufacturing activity.

[8] During 2002, KAI revealed that they were working on the production of an upgraded and armed version of the KT-1, designated KO-1, which was intended to be used in the forward air control and counter-insurgency (COIN) roles.

[13] In January 2011, Eurocopter and KAI established a joint venture, KAI-EC, for the purposes of marketing the Surion and handling export sales; at the time, it was envisioned that 250-300 units would be sold worldwide by 2021.

[16][17] Keen to beak into the civilian market and reduce its reliance on government projects, KAI formally launched development of the KC-100 Naraon general aviation aircraft during 2008.

[18] While largely conventional in its basic configuration, use of composite materials and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies were intended to allow it to be 10% more fuel efficient than existing rivals.

[24] In the long term, the company reportedly has ambitions to license-produce a civil aircraft from 2023; it also seeks to develop a 50-70 seat regional airliner, powered either by turboprop or turbofan engines.