South Korea to sign second K2 tank deal with Poland in June - Yonhap
South Korea is expected to sign a USD 6.2 billion contract for the delivery of 180 additional K2 main battle tanks to Poland at the end of June, the Yonhap news agency has reported.
Citing unnamed government sources, Yonhap wrote on Tuesday that the signing ceremony would take place in Poland.
The deal will be the second executive agreement under the 2022 framework contract, which envisions Poland acquiring a total of 1,000 K2 tanks.
According to Yonhap, 117 tanks will be produced by South Korea's Hyundai Rotem, while 63 will be manufactured in Poland under a technology transfer agreement with the Polish Armaments Group.
The new agreement is expected to be of greater value than the previous one, as it includes a wider range of cooperation such as the production of the upgraded K2PL version of the tank, servicing conditions and technology transfer, Yonhap wrote.
The contract was initially scheduled to be signed by the end of 2023, but its finalisation was postponed due to "domestic issues in both countries." The South Korean agency pointed to political unrest in Seoul following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of martial law on December 3.
Following South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul's visit to Warsaw in March, some local media speculated that the agreement could be signed as early as April. However, at the end of May, Poland's Armament Agency indicated that the contract was still in the process of price negotiations and legal review by the General Prosecutor's Office.
In July 2022, Poland and South Korea signed a strategic partnership in the defence sector. In addition to K2 tanks, the Polish government has acquired K9 self-propelled howitzers and FA-50 light combat aircraft from South Korea. (PAP)
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