South Korea and Poland Strengthen Defense Cooperation, K2 Tank Contract Nears Finalization

Jo Hyun Gi, Director General of the Key Defense Power Division at South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), visited Poland from January 20 (Monday) to January 21 (Tuesday) to support the final-stage negotiations of the second-phase contract for the K2 main battle tank and ensure the stable progress of defense cooperation projects between South Korea and Poland.

On January 20, Director General Jo met with Poland’s Deputy Minister of National Defense, Paweł Bejda, to reaffirm that South Korea-Poland defense cooperation remains solid despite the country’s recent domestic political situation. He also emphasized that Poland is one of South Korea’s most important defense cooperation partners.

The two sides reviewed the progress of ongoing South Korea-Poland defense cooperation projects, including the K2 main battle tank, K9 self-propelled howitzer, FA-50 light combat aircraft, and Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher. Additionally, they engaged in in-depth discussions on Poland’s interests, particularly regarding maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) cooperation for weapon systems.

Both sides acknowledged the importance of promptly concluding the second-phase contract for the K2 main battle tank to rapidly strengthen Poland’s defense capabilities. They agreed to finalize the contract as soon as possible.

During his visit, Director General Jo also met with Polish defense companies that export South Korea’s K2 tanks, K9 howitzers, and Chunmoo rocket launchers to assess the current status of cooperation projects and identify areas where the South Korean government needs to support them.

Furthermore, he met with executives from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Hanwha Aerospace, and Hyundai Rotem, emphasizing that Poland is a critical forward base for K-defense’s expansion into Europe. He also urged the stable execution of ongoing defense cooperation projects.

Director General Jo stated, “Poland is the most important partner for K-defense, and the commitment to cooperation between our two countries remains strong.” He added, “DAPA will continue to provide government-level support to ensure the stable execution of South Korea-Poland defense cooperation projects and establish Poland as a key bridgehead for K-defense’s expansion into Europe.”