After several months of negotiations, Poland signed a second execution agreement with Hyundai Rotem on August 1, 2025 to supply 180 K2 tanks.
The ceremony took place at the Bumar-Łabędy factory in Gliwice, and was attended by Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and South Korean Minister of Defense Ahn Gyu-baek.
The contract is worth $6.5 billion, with 116 Korean K2GF versions of tanks expected to be delivered between 2026 and 2027, and 64 Polish K2PL versions of tanks will be delivered between 2028 and 2030. The final assembly of the 61 K2PL tanks will be carried out at the Bumar-Łabędy factory, and domestic production will begin. The first three K2PL tanks will be manufactured in Korea and undergo modification tests based on the K2GF version.
The contract also includes procuring approximately 80 support vehicles based on the K2 chassis, including 31 technical assistance vehicles, 25 engineering vehicles and 25 bridge vehicles. These equipment is expected to be delivered between 2029 and 2031. Polish weapons groups OBRUM Sp. z oo and Bumar-Łabędy will be involved in the development of these systems.
In addition to the vehicle, the package includes extensive logistics assistance and training, including 120mm ammunition, small caliber ammunition, spare parts, specialized tools, test equipment, and technical documentation. There will also be training for ETS simulators and leaders, crews and maintenance teams.
A key point in a contract is technology transfer. Hyundai Rotem will provide its Polish factory with the necessary equipment to launch on-site assembly lines for K2PL and its derivative vehicles, and will build a B2B cooperation between South Korea and Polish companies.
The signing ceremony was officially signed by General Artur Kuptel, Poland’s Director-General of the Arms Agency, and Yongbae Lee, president of Hyundai Rotem. After the event, the Defense Ministers of both countries held a bilateral meeting to discuss expanding security cooperation and ongoing defense projects. “The key agenda included industrial cooperation, technology transfer and weapons production in Poland,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said in his X account.
In recent years, Poland has established itself as a strategic partner for South Korea in the defence agreement. In addition to the K2 tanks, Poland has already sourced 288 Chunmoo rocket launchers, 672 K9 self-propelled howitzers, and 48 FA-50 training and fighter jets.
Source and Images: X @KosiniakKamysz. This content was created with AI support and reviewed by the editorial team.
