DAEJEON — Breakdowns of firefighting helicopters operated by the Korea Forest Service have risen sharply, according to data submitted to the National Assembly.
Malfunctions climbed to 72 cases in 2025 from 12 in 2024, an increase of 60 cases or sixfold from a year earlier, according to data the Korea Forest Service provided to Rep. Lee Yang-soo of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, on the 20th. Lee represents the Sokcho-Inje-Goseong-Yangyang district.
Another 45 breakdowns occurred through August this year, and there were 14 cases in which helicopters could not be dispatched to wildfires because of malfunctions or maintenance.
A total of 199 breakdowns were recorded from 2021 through August 2026. Annual figures stood at 21 in 2021, 26 in 2022, 23 in 2023 and 12 in 2024 before surging to 72 in 2025. Through August of 2026, 45 cases had been reported.
Cases in which helicopters failed to respond in time are also increasing. From 2022 through August 2026, there were 40 instances in which forest helicopters could not be dispatched or had to abort missions because of maintenance or breakdowns. The annual tally was eight in 2022, six in 2023 and two in 2024, before rising to 10 in 2025. With 14 cases through August, this year has already exceeded last year's full-year total.
Of the 14 cases this year, 11 involved the Russian-made KA-32, the Korea Forest Service's workhorse helicopter, while the remaining three involved the heavy-lift S-64.
The aging of the fleet was also flagged as a problem. As of the end of August 2026, the agency operated 49 firefighting helicopters, of which 34, or 69.4%, had been in service for more than 20 years. That means roughly seven of every 10 helicopters were built more than two decades ago.
Seventeen helicopters, or 34.7% of the fleet, were more than 30 years old. The two oldest aircraft, both BELL206 models, are each in their 38th year of service.
Of the 49 helicopters, 42 are operational. All seven that are out of service are Russian-made KA-32s undergoing maintenance, held up by limited access to key parts because of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Even so, the introduction of new helicopters to replace the aging fleet is running behind schedule. One Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, approved for purchase under a 2022 program, was originally due for delivery in December 2025, but the deadline has been pushed back to June 2027.
"We have many aging helicopters, the Russian-made aircraft are grounded for lack of parts, and even the introduction of new helicopters is being delayed," Lee said. "The government must move up the timeline for replacing old helicopters and diversify its parts supply chains so that no gaps open up in the wildfire response."