K-9 Self-Propelled Howitzer Exported to Romania... All NATO Countries Adopt K-9 [Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club]

Romania's First Adoption of 'K-Defense Industry'... Interest in K2 Tank Too

Korean-made K-9 self-propelled howitzers will be exported to Romania. This marks the first case of Romania importing a domestic weapons system.

K-9 Self-Propelled Howitzer Deployed at Forward Unit

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 19th, Angel T?lv?r, Romania's Minister of National Defense, announced during a meeting with Shin Won-sik, South Korea's Minister of National Defense, who is visiting Romania on the morning of the 19th (local time), that they have made a final decision to introduce Korean-made K-9 self-propelled howitzers. This is the first visit by a South Korean defense minister to Romania.

Romania plans to acquire 54 K-9 self-propelled howitzers and 36 K-10 ammunition resupply armored vehicles produced by Hanwha Aerospace. The contract amount is $920 million (approximately 1.3 trillion KRW), making it the largest weapons procurement project in Romania over the past seven years. Following Poland, Romania's decision to adopt the Korean-made K-9 howitzer is expected to further elevate the status of 'K-defense industry' in the European market.

With Romania's adoption of the K-9 howitzer, the weapons system is now used by a total of six NATO countries, including the previously introduced countries (Poland, T?rkiye, Norway, Finland, Estonia).

Based on the defense cooperation agreement signed by the two countries' leaders in April, Ministers Shin and T?lv?r agreed to concretize practical cooperation projects in various fields such as ▲ military education and training ▲ information and experience exchange ▲ defense industry ▲ science and technology. The two defense ministers also shared the view that Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea and the North Korea-Russia military cooperation pose a security threat to Europe and Asia, and that close international cooperation and response are necessary, the Ministry of National Defense reported.

Following his visit to Romania, Minister Shin will visit Poland and co-chair the 2nd Korea-Poland Defense and Defense Industry Cooperation Joint Committee on the 20th with Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. During his visit to Poland, Minister Shin plans to convey the Korean government's strong willingness to pursue follow-up contracts after the initial $12.3 billion (approximately 17 trillion KRW) Polish defense export contract and encourage contract signing.