Bucharest: The chief of South Korea's defense procurement agency attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a plant to produce K9 self-propelled howitzers in Romania, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced. The event marks a significant step following a major export deal signed in 2024.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the groundbreaking ceremony took place approximately 1.5 years after South Korean defense firm Hanwha Aerospace Co. secured a 1.4 trillion-won (US$1 billion) contract with Romania in July 2024. The agreement involves supplying 54 K9 howitzers and 36 K10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles. The deal includes the establishment of a local production plant in Romania to enhance bilateral arms industry cooperation and boost overseas arms exports.
The plant, named Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence Europe, is set to function as a primary production site for the company, offering maintenance and testing support for the vehicles. Spanning 181,055 square meters, the site will feature advanced assembly lines, performance testing facilities, and a 1,751-meter-long test track. Hanwha intends to gradually expand the site, aiming to establish a regional production and support hub for other ground systems, including infantry fighting vehicles and long-range precision strike systems.
The company plans to deepen partnerships with Romanian firms to enhance local production capabilities and increase the plant's localization rate to up to 80 percent. DAPA Minister Lee Yong-cheol highlighted this initiative as a demonstration of South Korea's efforts to bolster its partner country's arms industry capabilities. Lee stated that DAPA will continue to support mutually beneficial cooperation based on South Korean defense firms' localization strategies.
During his two-day visit to Romania, Lee engaged in discussions with senior government and parliamentary officials, including the defense and economy ministers. Both sides expressed their commitment to strengthening practical cooperation between the two nations. The visit aligns with South Korea's efforts to export Hanwha's Redback infantry fighting vehicle and Hyundai Rotem Co.'s K2 battle tank as Romania seeks to modernize its armored assets.