Korean military equipment has arrived in Poland

On Tuesday 6 December 2022, the unloading of the first K2 tanks and K9 cannon-howitzers for Poland was completed at the BCT container terminal in the Port of Gdynia. The delivery of the military equipment was made as part of the arms contracts concluded with South Korea this year. This is another element of the consistently implemented strategy of strengthening the Polish Army’s capabilities using Korean defence technologies.

“This is an important day in the history of the Polish Army. It is an important event that results in boosting the strength of the Polish Army. The equipment imported from South Korea – K2 tanks and K9 cannon-howitzers are on Polish soil. Thank you, Mr President, for being with us today on this important day. We want peace, so we are preparing for war. We are developing the Polish Army, growing it in numbers and strengthening it by equipping it with modern equipment. Both K2 tanks and K9 cannon-howitzers are among the most modern weapons. Therefore, this equipment gives the Polish Army a tool to effectively deter an aggressor,” said Mariusz Błaszczak, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence.

In July this year, a framework agreement was concluded with Hyundai Rotem for the acquisition of a total of 1,000 K2 tanks and their polonised development version K2PL, together with associated vehicles, i.e. technical protection vehicles, engineering support vehicles and associated bridges and other elements based on Polish solutions, as well as a training and logistics package, a stock of ammunition and the manufacturer’s technical support. In turn, the framework agreement concluded with Hanwha Defense covers the acquisition of a total of 672 K9A1 self-propelled cannon-howitzers and their polonised development version K9PL, together with accompanying vehicles, as well as a training and logistics package, an ammunition stockpile and the manufacturer’s technical support.

“In the spring of this year, we passed a new law on homeland defence. This summer, in August, we signed the necessary contracts. And at the moment, the process of modernisation and strengthening of the Polish army is already physically taking place through not only the purchase, but above all the supply from South Korea of K2 tanks and K9 cannon-howitzers for the Polish army. No one needs to be told or explained how important this process is, how crucial this pace of deliveries is, especially in the current situation where we are facing a war in Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression.”

“Today is the first stage – not symbolic, but very practical. You see, these are K2 tanks from South Korea – the first 10 tanks have just arrived in our country, here in Gdynia. In a moment they will go to military units, where they will undergo the final process of preparation and implementation for their possible use in our armed forces. In front of and behind you is the first delivery of K9 cannon-howitzers, which will soon supply the Polish army, the first 24 of which arrived today. But apart from this very practical dimension of supplying the Polish army directly with this equipment, there is also a huge symbolic dimension: the beginning of cooperation, which – I hope – will be industrially, economically and in terms of security fruitful in the future both for Poland and for South Korea. I am glad that, thanks to the start of this very supply programme, in the future we will jointly produce tanks, as well as service and perhaps also produce aircraft,” said Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland.

The delivery of military equipment means extensive industrial cooperation in subsequent stages, which will increase the competencies of the Polish defence industry. During the visit, assurances were given on the consistent strengthening of the Polish armed forces, emphasising the consistency of actions aimed at strengthening the Polish Army and ensuring Poland’s security.