After months of negotiations, Poland signed the second executive contract for the supply of 180 K2 tanks with Hyundai Rotem on August 1, 2025.
The ceremony took place at the Bumar-Łabędy factory in Gliwice, with the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense of Poland, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and the Minister of Defense of South Korea, Ahn Gyu-baek.
The deal, worth 6.5 billion dollars, includes the delivery of 116 tanks in the South Korean K2GF version between 2026 and 2027, as well as 64 tanks in the Polish K2PL version between 2028 and 2030. The final assembly of 61 K2PL tanks will be carried out at the Bumar-Łabędy plant, marking the start of national production. The first three K2PLs will be manufactured in South Korea, undergoing modification tests based on the K2GF version.
The contract also includes the acquisition of about 80 support vehicles based on the K2 chassis, including 31 technical support vehicles, 25 engineering vehicles, and 25 bridge launchers. The delivery of these items is expected between 2029 and 2031. Companies from the Polish Armaments Group, such as OBRUM Sp. z o.o. and Bumar-Łabędy itself, will be involved in developing these systems.
In addition to the vehicles, the package includes a comprehensive set of logistical support and training, with 120mm ammunition, small-caliber ammunition, spare parts, specialized tools, test equipment, and technical documentation. Embedded ETS simulators and training for instructors, crews, and maintenance teams are also planned.
A key point of the contract is the technology transfer. Hyundai Rotem will provide the Polish factory with the equipment necessary to start the local assembly line for the K2PL and derivative vehicles, in addition to establishing B2B cooperation terms between South Korean and Polish companies in the defense industry sector.
During the signing ceremony, General Artur Kuptel, head of the Polish Armaments Agency, and the president of Hyundai Rotem, Yongbae Lee, formalized the agreement. After the event, the defense ministers of both countries held a bilateral meeting to discuss expanding security cooperation and ongoing defense projects. “Important topics included industrial collaboration, technology transfer, and weapons production in Poland,” Kosiniak-Kamysz stated on his X social media account.
In recent years, Poland has established itself as a strategic partner of South Korea in defense agreements. In addition to the K2 tanks, the country has already acquired 288 Chunmoo rocket launchers, 672 K9 self-propelled howitzers, and 48 FA-50 training and combat aircraft.
Source and images: X @KosiniakKamysz. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
