NATO Delegation Visits Korean Ground Defense Firms to Hear Future Strategies

NATO Parliamentary Delegation Visits Hanwha Aerospace and Hyundai Rotem Facilities

A delegation from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Parliamentary Assembly visited Hanwha Aerospace and Hyundai Rotem to learn about their defense industry strategies and the current status of next-generation weapons system development.

K600 obstacle-clearing tank. Hyundai Rotem

According to industry sources on December 9, members of the NATO Sub-Committee on Technology Trends and Security (STCTTS) visited Hanwha Aerospace and Hyundai Rotem in South Korea, where they were briefed on the government’s “2030 Global Top 4 Defense Exporter” goal and the research and development strategies driving this ambition.

Hanwha Aerospace emphasized the importance of interoperability with NATO systems and explained that lessons learned from the battlefield in Ukraine-such as artillery survivability, precision strikes, and ammunition supply-are being incorporated into their technology development.

Hanwha Aerospace currently supplies K9 self-propelled howitzers to a total of six countries, including Poland, Norway, and Romania. The company is also establishing a local subsidiary in Romania and building a production system in Poland. In addition, Hanwha Aerospace is expanding the supply of Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems and NATO-standard ammunition and propellants. In particular,the company elaborated on its plans to expand its business scope to include self-propelled artillery, precision-guided missiles, engines, and satellites, thereby increasing its presence in the global supply chain.

Hyundai Rotem presented the direction of South Korea’s development of future-oriented ground forces, including unmanned ground systems and artificial intelligence (AI)-based combat platforms. The company also showcased armored units integrating new technologies such as autonomous driving, remote control, and mission AI.

During their visit, the NATO delegation highly praised South Korea’s commitment to strengthening its defense capabilities and its rapid pace of technological innovation, stating, “South Korea is a strategic partner that can expand cooperation with NATO in key areas such as AI, space, and unmanned systems.”

Meanwhile, on this day, Hyundai Rotem supplied the K600 obstacle-clearing tank to the Army’s frontline units and the Marine Corps for the first time. The obstacle-clearing tank is a combat engineering vehicle that uses a mine-clearing plow and an excavator arm to effectively remove mines, falling rocks, and other obstacles in the front lines, thereby securing maneuver routes for friendly forces. Hyundai Rotem announced that it had signed a second-phase mass production contract for the obstacle-clearing tank with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, valued at 250 billion won. The final delivery is scheduled for December 31, 2029.