The first 180 K2 tanks, made by Hyundai Rotem and equipped with 120 mm guns, are expected to arrive this year, with production of 800 upgraded tanks starting in 2026 in Poland, according to the ministry. The first 48 K9 howitzers, made by Hanwha Defense, are also expected to arrive this year, with delivery of a second batch of 600 starting in 2024. From 2025 they will be produced in Poland, the ministry said. The ministry said these armored vehicles will partially replace Soviet-era tanks that Poland donated to Ukraine to use in its fight against Russia. The ministry’s comments to CNN come after Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak tweeted on July 22 that the deal would “significantly increase Poland’s security and the strength of the Polish military.” CNN has reached out to South Korea’s Defense Program Command and the weapons manufacturers involved for comment. Chun In-Bum, a retired South Korean general, said the deal with Poland is Seoul’s biggest arms export deal ever. He also praised the weapons involved. “The K9 (howitzer)… is perhaps the best artillery system in the world, rivaled only by the German system. The FA-50 is a combat version of the T-50, which has gained a reputation as the best trainer The K2 tank in its latest version will be better than anything South Korea has to date,” Chun said.
Higher profile for Korean weapons
Leif-Eric Easley, an associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said the arms deal had its roots in the administration of former President Moon Jae-in, who sought large foreign contracts to boost the South’s defense industries Korea. Moon’s successor, President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office in May, also wants to promote such exports, Easley said. “But the war in Ukraine raises the geopolitical stakes” for Seoul, Easley said. The lucrative arms deal with NATO member Poland means South Korea is expected to share “the burden of defending the international order,” Esley said. “Washington and NATO will expect Seoul to increase aid to Ukraine and maintain sanctions against Russia, even if doing so comes at a cost to South Korea’s economy,” Esley said. Since joining NATO in 1999, Poland has become a key member of the 30-member alliance and has been buying American-made military equipment, including Abrams main battle tanks and F-35 stealth fighter jets. Poland has also become a big supporter of the government in Kyiv after the Russian invasion, striking deals to send more than 200 tanks and self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
Emergency
During a visit to Seoul in May, the Polish defense minister said the war in Ukraine showed Poland’s urgent need for South Korean weapons. “We talked about speeding up deliveries of these weapons to the Polish Army. Why is it important? Because of the war on our eastern border. It is important for the Polish Armed Forces to be equipped with modern equipment, proven equipment and such equipment produced by Korea,” Błaszczak said at the time. He said South Korea and Poland faced similar security situations and therefore needed similar weapons. “Why is Korean equipment proving itself? Because Korea has the challenge of its northern neighbor, who also pursues an aggressive policy, so our task is to equip the Polish Armed Forces with modern equipment. Equipment that will deter the aggressor. Such equipment is without a doubt … produced in Korea,” said Błaszczak. However, some defense industry analysts question whether South Korea’s weapons are suitable for Europe. Nicholas Drummond, a defense industry analyst specializing in land warfare and a former British Army officer, said the K2 tank is essentially a less capable version of the Leopard 2 main battle tank. “Same gun. Same engine and gearbox. But overall less sophisticated with inferior electronic architecture… Not a bad tank. But not field class,” he said. Drummond also said that hardware manufactured in Asia could eventually face problems in the supply chain during a war in Europe. “It is right for Asian countries to buy from Korea, as these customers can easily be supported in wartime. But supporting European customers in an emergency is likely to be more difficult,” he said.
South Korean ground attack aircraft
The FA-50 jet, produced by Korea Aerospace Industries in partnership with US defense giant Lockheed Martin, is a supersonic light combat aircraft suitable for ground attack and some air-to-air missions. The plane, which has been flown by the South Korean Air Force since 2013, is armed with Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, Maverick air-to-surface missiles and a three-barreled 30mm cannon for drops. It can also use precision and gravity bombs. The FA-50, in combat and training versions, has found export customers in Colombia, Indonesia, Iraq, the Philippines and Thailand. But with its order for 48 planes, Poland would become the largest operator of the jets outside of South Korea.
