Seoul: South Korea is reportedly on the verge of finalizing a major defense contract with Poland worth approximately $6 billion for the supply of 180 K2 Black Panther tanks, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
Under the proposed agreement, South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem—an affiliate of the Hyundai Motor Group specializing in industrial and defense manufacturing—will produce 117 of the tanks. The remaining units will be manufactured locally in Poland by the state-owned Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), Yonhap stated, citing an unnamed industry insider.
The signing ceremony for the deal is expected to take place in Poland in late June, according to the report. Hyundai Rotem has not yet issued an official comment on the matter.
The tank contract is a key component of a broader $13.7 billion arms agreement reached between Seoul and Warsaw in 2022, which remains South Korea’s largest-ever defense export package. That landmark deal included K2 tanks, K9 howitzers, Chunmoo rocket launchers, and FA-50 fighter jets, aimed at rapidly upgrading Poland’s defense capabilities amid rising tensions in Eastern Europe.
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The broader arms partnership is viewed as a strategic move by South Korea to establish itself as a key player in the European defense market. Both South Korean and Polish defense industries hope to turn the agreement into a long-term foundation for cooperation that meets Europe’s growing demand for advanced military hardware.
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The finalization of the K2 tank supply deal was initially expected by the end of 2023 but appeared to face delays. Yonhap attributes part of the hold-up to a political crisis in South Korea, including the brief imposition of martial law in December, which impacted government and industry operations.
