[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Did the US Borrowed Ammunition Return as 'Performance-Enhanced Ammo'?

South Korea and US to Conclude Negotiations on Bypassing Ukraine Aid Ammunition This Month

Negotiations to repay the artillery shells lent by the United States to our military are expected to be finalized within this month. Our military is requesting ammunition with extended range, and if the opinions between South Korea and the U.S. converge, it is expected that upgraded shells can be deployed.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to a government official on the 15th, our military has provided the United States with 550,000 rounds of 155mm shells, including other items, as part of the War Reserve Stockpile for the Republic of Korea (WRSA-K) since last year at the request of the U.S. WRSA-K refers to ammunition that the U.S. brought to South Korea over five years starting in 1974 in preparation for wartime situations on the Korean Peninsula.

The WRSA-K ammunition is owned by our government, making it difficult for the U.S. to supply these shells to Ukraine without our government's consent. However, the WRSA-K shells were not sent directly to Ukraine; instead, they were first replenished into U.S. military reserves, and then the U.S. supported Ukraine with its existing shells. The U.S. then planned to contract domestic defense companies producing shells and repay our military accordingly.

There are three types of 155mm shells. The KM107 old model shell, which was produced under commission after being supported by the U.S. military during the Korean War; and the new K307 and K310 shells with extended range. The shells provided to the U.S. were the KM107 old model shells. However, our military requested the new shells. This is because the K9 self-propelled howitzer uses the K307 and K310 extended-range shells that employ a drag reduction method. The range of the new high-explosive shell K307 is 54 km, and the range of the dual-purpose high-explosive shell K310 is 45 km.

If South Korea and the U.S. reach an agreement, domestic defense companies’ production facilities can also be significantly expanded. The annual production volume by domestic defense companies is only 50,000 to 100,000 rounds for the old 155mm shells and 80,000 rounds for the new 155mm shells. Countries such as Poland, which have introduced and operate the K9 self-propelled howitzer, also import and use South Korea’s K307 and K310 shells, making expansion of production facilities inevitable. Currently, the U.S. estimates it will take three years to repay the lent shells due to limitations in its own production capacity.

There are also forecasts that the U.S. side may request additional production or lending. It is expected that ammunition will be severely insufficient if the war in Ukraine becomes a prolonged conflict.

Meanwhile, on the 13th (local time), Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Ukraine lost up to 30% of the Western-supplied equipment during its counteroffensive operations. He also pointed out that the West’s armories have been depleted due to support for Ukraine, adding, "Even South Korea and Israel, which still have some stock left, will soon run out," indirectly referring to South Korea amid speculation about ‘ammunition indirect support’ to Ukraine.