The first shipment of Korean weapons has arrived in Poland, with Korean K2 tanks and K9 artillery howitzers now set to be integrated into the Polish Armed Forces.
The arrival of the cutting-edge weapons marks the realization of armaments contracts that were signed with South Korea this year.
In July, Warsaw concluded a $5.8 billion deal with Seoul to buy 189 K2 tanks and 212 K9 self-propelled howitzers, in what is Korea’s largest-ever arms deal. Poland is also buying 48 FA-50 light combat aircraft and 288 K239 Chunmoo rocket artillery launchers.
Polish-Korean cooperation rapidly intensified after Russian aggression against Ukraine. President Andrzej Duda said he is satisfied with the swift delivery of the equipment, and stressed the importance of rapid military modernization “while Poland is on the verge of Russian aggression.”
“All of us can see one thing; only the heroism of a soldier with modern equipment is able to stop Russian ambitions,” said Duda during the ceremony in the port of Gdynia.
The Polish president added that the arrival of the equipment also marks the beginning of Polish-Korean cooperation in areas apart from strengthening the countries’ military alliance.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said that Poland is increasing its military personnel, but also strengthening the army by providing it with the most modern weapons.
“We want peace, so we are preparing for war,” said the deputy prime minister.
German operator Briese Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG was responsible for delivering the Korean weapons to Poland via ship.
