우리나라 항공기산업의 발전의 수준은 기대보다 상당히 미흡한 실정이다. 우리나라의 경제규모, 관련 산업 및 기술의 발전 정도, 관련 고급인력의 공급과 그 동안의 정부와 산업의 투자 및 노력에 비교해 보면, 동 산업의 성과는 많이 부족한 실정이며, 브라질, 인도네시아, 이스라엘 등 일부 국가들과 비교해도 그러하다. 특히 브라질은 경제력의 규모, 기술력의 수준 등의 여러 측면에서 한국보다 열위에 있으면서도 민수기부문에서의 산업성과는 한국보다 훨씬 뛰어나다. 브라질 정부는 지속적이고 적극적인 지원정책을 통해 자국의 대표적인 항공기업체인 ‘엠브레어’를 민수 중형기 분야에서 세계적이고 성공적인 기업으로 성장시킨 바 있다. 이에, 우리는 브라질 항공기산업의 사례를 분석하고 우리와 비교함으로써 의미 있는 시사점을 얻고자 한다. 주요 시사점으로는 중소형급 민수기 개발 등의 적절한 틈새시장의 식별과 공략, 수요 및 기술 제약의 보완을 위해 국제협력을 유치하되, 지속적이고 자생적인 산업발전을 위해서는 그 협력이 주도적 협력으로 통제되어야 할 것, 그리고 WTO 보조금분쟁에 대비하되, 그 때문에 산업육성에 대한 정부의 역할이 위축되지 말아야 한다는 점이 특히 강조되었다.

This paper is to provide the essential direction of finding opportunities to develop Korean Aircraft Industry and eventually to have international competitiveness in this industry. Unfortunately the industrial performance of the Korean aircraft industry is not so satisfactory compared with that of Brazil. Korea is still far behind in developing and producing commercial aircraft of civil aviation. Although Brazil is comparable to Korea in its economy in many aspects, the country is much more advanced than Korea in the aircraft industry, specially in the commercial sector. Embraer, the leading aircraft company in Brazil, which produces small or medium size commercial aircraft, became a world-class firm through continuous and efficient government support policies, and is being in strong rivalry with Bombardier in Canada. We compared and analyzed Brazilian case to obtain meaningful implications, and expect to offer proper development strategies for Korean aircraft industry. The implications include attacking proper niche-market, which should be small or medium class commercial aircraft market. Of course we need some foreign cooperation in the matter of technology and market, but that should be controlled not to dominate our own development strategy in achieving self-sustainable industry. The possibility of confronting international dispute in WTO subsidy matter should be carefully considered and properly prepared, but that should not necessarily lead to exclude the essential opportunities of executing active government supporting role in this industry.

This paper is to provide the essential direction of finding opportunities to develop Korean Aircraft Industry and eventually to have international competitiveness in this industry. Unfortunately the industrial performance of the Korean aircraft industry is not so satisfactory compared with that of Brazil. Korea is still far behind in developing and producing commercial aircraft of civil aviation. Although Brazil is comparable to Korea in its economy in many aspects, the country is much more advanced than Korea in the aircraft industry, specially in the commercial sector. Embraer, the leading aircraft company in Brazil, which produces small or medium size commercial aircraft, became a world-class firm through continuous and efficient government support policies, and is being in strong rivalry with Bombardier in Canada. We compared and analyzed Brazilian case to obtain meaningful implications, and expect to offer proper development strategies for Korean aircraft industry. The implications include attacking proper niche-market, which should be small or medium class commercial aircraft market. Of course we need some foreign cooperation in the matter of technology and market, but that should be controlled not to dominate our own development strategy in achieving self-sustainable industry. The possibility of confronting international dispute in WTO subsidy matter should be carefully considered and properly prepared, but that should not necessarily lead to exclude the essential opportunities of executing active government supporting role in this industry.

Aircraft Industry, Industrial Policy, WTO Subsidy Dispute, Brazilian Case