South Korea is hoping to build its own commercial aircraft to help grow the country's aviation industry.

News reports in South Korea, which quote anonymous sources in the ministry of knowledge economy (MKE), say the government is working on a 10-year programme to develop the aviation industry and this includes developing a 90-seat regional jet.

South Korea has produced only military aircraft to date.

The reports say the commercial aircraft programme will likely be spearheaded by Korea Aerospace Industries.

A spokeswoman from MKE declined to comment on the reports.

"Our position is that we have no information to share at this moment," she says.

South Korea's larger neighbours China and Japan have programmes in place to build regional jet aircraft.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news