Seoul's military procurement agency says Indonesia have signed an agreement to join South Korea's fighter jet developement program.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration says South Korea's Agency for Defense Development and its Indonesia’s counterpart, Balitbang, will establish a joint development center in Daejeon South Korea in the first half of this year.

Indonesia will pay one-fifth of the budget, or roughly eleven-billion won and dispatch around 30 researchers to the defense development agency.

In a memorandum signed by both parties in July 2010, Indonesia agreed to fund part of the development cost, and then purchase about 50 of the jets when the aircraft is put into mass production.

Earlier this month, the Indonesian defense ministry named South Korea's Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) as the preferred bidder in its trainer jet purchase. KAI is the manufacturer of Korea's T-50 trainer jets.

The Seoul government seeks to export 16 T-50s to Indonesia in a deal worth a total of 400 million dollars.