K-defense’s evolution - from exports to ecosystems

K-defense’s evolution - from exports to ecosystems

최초입력 2025.07.04 10:29:49

(AFP/Yonhap)

South Korea’s defense industry has hit a watershed moment. The second K2 tank export contract between Hyundai Rotem and the Polish government, valued at a record-breaking 9 trillion won ($6.6 billion), is far more than a triumph in arms sales - it marks a new era of localization-driven, ecosystem-based defense exports.
At the heart of this deal lies a game-changing element: 63 of the 180 tanks ordered will be manufactured not in Korea, but in Poland. Hyundai Rotem will transfer production expertise, support the build-out of manufacturing facilities, and offer maintenance and overhaul capabilities. It is not just about selling equipment anymore, but is about embedding an entire industrial framework overseas - a sign that Korea’s defense exports are evolving from simple transactions into long-term partnerships.
The road to this transformation has been decades in the making. In the late 1980s, Korea began assembling K1 tanks using American blueprints. By 2008 it had developed the K2 with proprietary technology. Now, it is exporting both the product and the production playbook. This is not just progress - it is a milestone of sovereign innovation.
Geopolitical tailwinds are also at play. NATO’s 32 members have agreed to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035 at the United States’ urging. The European Union is injecting 800 billion euros into rearmament by 2030, with a focus on boosting domestic defense production. Within this geopolitical climate, Korea’s localization model offers a compelling alternative for European nations looking to balance military readiness with industrial sovereignty.
Selling finished weapons can run into regulatory walls. Sharing technology, building parts supply chains, and training local workforces? That breaks down barriers - and builds allies. Companies like Hanwha Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Industries are already following suit with armored vehicle production in Australia and fighter jet parts manufacturing in Peru.
Korea’s defense sector has proven its credibility. It now stands poised to become a powerful growth engine for the broader economy. It is time to recognize the defense industry not merely as a national asset - but as a strategic pillar of the country’s future.
[ⓒ 매일경제 & mk.co.kr, 무단 전재, 재배포 및 AI학습 이용 금지]

매일경제

K-defense’s evolution - from exports to ecosystems

많이 본 뉴스