Poland asked South Korea for an arms loan

29 July, 2023 K2 Black Panther ACS for Poland, October 19, 2022, Changwon, South Korea. Photo credits: Korea Defense Blog Poland requested £15.6 billion in financial support from Korea to fulfill its second defense contract.

The Korea Times reported on this. It is reported that the South Korean authorities allocated a loan that covered 70 percent of the cost of the order for the first contract for K2 tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers. The value of the first financial assistance from South Korea is estimated at 12 trillion won, which is about £9.4 billion.

The government opposes additional financing of the contract, as this decision would be beneficial for Poland, but not for Korea.

The first K9A1 Thunder self-propelled howitzers in Poland. December 2022. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Poland.

Government sources report that the final terms will be negotiated at a high level.

This is due to the localization of production in Poland and the transfer of Korean technologies. South Korean media claim that the talks have reached a deadlock due to requests for additional financial support. Militarnyi reported that in 2022, Poland signed contracts with South Korea to purchase 1,000 K2 tanks and 672 K9 howitzers.

K239 Chunmoo MLRS.

Photo from open sources.

The value of the deal was not disclosed, but later a contract was signed for the supply of 180 tanks and 212 self-propelled howitzers, which was estimated at £5.8 billion.

In addition, an executive agreement, totaling £3.55 billion, was signed to purchase Korean K239 Chunmoo launchers for the Polish armed forces.

The value of the contract for the purchase of 48 FA-50 aircraft remains unknown.