Seoul: The state-run defense agency responsible for quality assurance has awarded Hyundai Rotem Co. a certificate for quality management standards required by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for the supply of defense products, officials announced Monday. This marks a significant achievement for Hyundai Rotem as it is the first time the company has received such recognition for its K2 tanks and other arms products.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality confirmed that Hyundai Rotem meets NATO's stringent quality assurance standards. This certification is a pivotal milestone, as it is the first instance of a defense firm receiving the certificate since the agency acquired the right to confer it in March of the previous year.

The acquisition of this certificate is expected to facilitate the entry of domestic defense firms into NATO's extensive collective defense procurement market, which is reportedly valued at 15 trillion won (approximately US$10 billion). Additionally, officials anticipate that this will enhance the credibility of the quality assurance system within the defense sector.