On Monday, April 22nd, 2024, a five-day visit of the Polish delegation to South Korea began, involving representatives from the Ministry of National Defense (MON), the National Security Bureau (BBN), the Ministry of State Assets (MAP), the National Development Bank (Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, BGK), and the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) (Polish-Korean cooperation continues).
Photos: Polish Ministry of National Defense
On the first day, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defense responsible for overseeing the technical modernization of the Polish Armed Forces, Paweł Bejda, along with the delegation, held a meeting at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) office at the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Korea.
The discussions focused on the implementation and financing of concluded and planned agreements with the Korean partners for the modernization of the Polish Armed Forces, establishing service and repair capabilities, technology transfer, and transferring production to Poland of acquired military equipment.
The delegation also had the opportunity to visit the facilities of KIA Special Vehicle Company in Gwangju, located in the South Jeolla Province, where, among other activities, they participated in a presentation of the Light Reconnaissance Vehicle Legwan, which is a variant of KLTV vehicle adapted to Polish requirements (Beginning of deliveries of reconnaissance Legwans to Poland).
According to the previously published itinerary of the visit, scheduled activities included a meeting with the Minister of Defense of Korea, Shin Won Sik, the Minister of DAPA, Seok Jonggun, the Director of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), Park Jong-Seung, as well as officials from selected institutions of the Korean Ministry of Defense and military units.
The visit also includes stopping by Korean defense industry facilities and observing exercises at the Anheung firing range in South Pyongan Province, including a dynamic demonstration using the multiple rocket launcher system K239 Chunmoo, combined with live-fire exercises using long-range ammunition.
The purpose of the visit is to discuss aspects of current technical-industrial cooperation, including ongoing arms contracts (for K2 tanks, K9 howitzers, Chunmoo launchers, FA-50 aircraft), as well as to discuss potential new areas of cooperation arising from the need for technical transformation of the Polish Armed Forces and the enhancement of Poland’s deterrence and defense capabilities.
In reference to the areas of cooperation being pursued, during the visit, the Polish side will signal, among other things, the significance of maximal engagement of the Polish defense industry in the process of servicing and maintaining equipment acquired from the Republic of Korea, as well as creating conditions for jointly offering service and repair services and production potential to other European partners.
Aspects of financing mechanisms for military equipment deliveries will also be discussed, hence the presence of representatives from BGK in the delegation.
Cooperation in the field of research and development programs as well as in the space domain will also be one of the topics covered.
During the visit, the signing of the second executive agreement for the delivery of additional multi-launch rocket systems Homar-K (K239 Chunmoo) for the Polish Armed Forces is planned. Those launchers will be mounted on Polish chassis produced by Jelcz and equipped with communication and combat management systems of Polish production.
The visit will be a significant undertaking, holistically coordinating the existing bilateral cooperation and also charting new possibilities for cooperation with the Republic of Korea in the defense domain and industrial cooperation.
Taking into account the future development of the Polish defense potential, the leadership of the Ministry of National Defense strives for the production of additional dozens of launcher units to be continued in Poland. The same applies to technology, logistics, training packages, and spare parts. Homar-K is to be integrated with a 122 mm missile, for which the launch containers are also planned to be produced in Poland.
Key decisions regarding the signing of executive agreements for the delivery of K9 howitzers and K2 tanks will be reconsidered by the current leadership of the Ministry of National Defense, aiming to relocate part of the production to the country. The Ministry also intends to purchase tactical guided missiles from Korea.
W poniedziałek 22 kwietnia br. Sekretarz Stanu w Ministerstwie Obrony Narodowej, @pawelbejda wraz z delegacją rządową 🇵🇱 odbyli spotkanie w Agencji ds. Zakupów Obronnych w Republice Korei 🇰🇷.
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📄 https://t.co/ScpHF24xW7 pic.twitter.com/QwiFZY4xCS— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) April 22, 2024
Based on press information