K2 Tanks on the Move: South Korea and Poland Strengthen Defense Ties

South Korea’s Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back is set to fly to Poland on Thursday to meet with his Polish counterpart and finalize an estimated 8.8 trillion won ($6.6 billion) deal for the export of a second batch of K2 tanks to Poland.

The South Korean Defense Ministry announced Wednesday that Ahn will visit the European nation from Thursday to Saturday, marking his first overseas trip since taking office last week. The visit was arranged at the request of Poland’s Ministry of National Defense, according to Seoul officials.

During his three-day trip, Ahn is scheduled to attend a signing ceremony for the deal, which Seoul secured and confirmed earlier this month. Under the agreement, Poland is slated to receive 180 new K2 tanks. Korean defense contractor Hyundai Rotem will manufacture 117 units, while the remaining tanks will be produced by Poland’s state-owned Polish Armaments Group. The ceremony will take place in Gliwice, located in the Upper Silesia region.

In his meeting with the Polish defense minister, Ahn plans to discuss ways to enhance defense and arms industry cooperation between the two nations, the South Korean ministry stated. The talks will also address strategic security cooperation aimed at fostering peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

The Defense Ministry emphasized the significance of the second K2 tank agreement, stating, “This represents our largest single arms export contract to date and will serve as a pivotal opportunity to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperative ties between our two countries, building on our partnership with Poland.”

This latest supply contract is part of a broader framework agreement reached between South Korea and Poland in 2022, valued at $44.2 billion. In addition to K2 tanks, Seoul agreed to supply Poland with rocket launchers and fighter jets. The agreement came in response to Poland’s decision to boost its defense spending following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of that year.

Later in 2022, Hyundai Rotem inked a deal worth approximately $3.3 billion to supply Poland with the first batch of 180 K2 tanks.

On July 3, a day after South Korea’s arms procurement agency announced the securing of the second export deal, President Lee Jae Myung hailed the agreement as a “splendid feat” for South Korea’s defense sector.