US media reveals South Korean military industry: a new NATO arsenal?
Recently, South Korea's arms exports have grown rapidly, and the South Korean government has set a goal of becoming the world's fourth largest arms exporter by 2027. In addition to providing non lethal materials directly to Ukraine, South Korea is also playing a role in NATO's arsenal.
South Korea will provide Ukraine with combat engineering vehicles that can be used for mine sweeping and obstacle breaking
The US Defense Blog website reported on September 18th local time that South Korea will provide Ukraine with two K600 Rhinoceros combat engineering vehicles as part of its new round of aid to Ukraine.
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This combat engineering vehicle uses the chassis of the South Korean K1A1 main battle tank and is equipped with high-power magnetic minesweeping equipment. It is a highly mobile and heavily armored minesweeping and obstacle breaking equipment that can improve the mobility and survival ability of engineers, and can accompany armored forces in mobile warfare.
South Korean President Yoon Seok yeol told Ukrainian President Zelensky during the G7 summit held in Hiroshima, Japan in May this year that South Korea will provide Ukraine with "non lethal materials," including mine clearance equipment. The Defense Blog website stated that although the K600 combat engineering vehicle is not a "deadly weapon", it can be used to break through enemy defenses when necessary and is the most powerful military equipment provided by South Korea to Ukraine so far.
South Korean military factories are intensifying production of weapons such as K9 self-propelled howitzers
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In addition to directly providing "non lethal materials" to Ukraine, South Korea is also playing a role in NATO's arsenal, filling the weapons gap caused by NATO countries' military aid to Ukraine.
Recently, a reporter from The Wall Street Journal visited the factory of South Korea's largest military industrial enterprise, Hanwha Group. In this factory, workers are manufacturing dozens of K9 self-propelled howitzers ready for delivery to Poland. The entire production process is divided into three stages: frame assembly, component connection, and performance testing.
NATO member Poland and South Korea reached a $13.7 billion arms deal last year, including various weapons such as K9 self-propelled howitzers, K2 tanks, and FA-50 fighter jets. The first batch of K9 self-propelled howitzers arrived in Poland in December 2022, just three months after the contract was signed. Hanhua Group stated that rapid delivery is one of the important strategies to attract new customers.
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According to reports, South Korea's military exports have increased by 177% in the past five years. Although not comparable in scale to major military exporting countries such as the United States, Russia, and France, the growth rate exceeds that of all other countries. Military analysts say that South Korea's military production speed is faster than some Western countries, partly because after the end of the Cold War, NATO countries began to reduce their production capacity of conventional weapons, while South Korea increased its production capacity. After the outbreak of the conflict between Russia-Ukraine conflict, when NATO countries were eager to "replenish" supplies of weapons to Ukraine, South Korea seized this "business opportunity".
South Korea is seeking to export submarines to NATO countries
In addition, South Korea is seeking to export more advanced weapons to NATO countries. At Hanhua Group's shipyard, workers are building various submarines, including Hanhua Group's latest KSS-III diesel electric powered submarine. Hanhua Group is in negotiations with Canada for the sale of this type of submarine. Hanhua Group plans to double the production capacity of the submarine by 2027. Military analysts say that in the future, these submarines will help strengthen NATO's military capabilities.
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Expert analysis: Western aid to Ukraine leads to inventory shortage. South Korea seizes the "wind" of military sales
In 2022, South Korea's arms exports exceeded $17 billion, more than twice the amount in 2021. The South Korean government has set a goal of becoming the world's fourth largest exporter of weapons by 2027.