Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

The second Joint Committee for Defense and Defense Industry Cooperation was held

Korea will actively support early K2 tank operation training

Minister Shin Won Sik paid a visit to the Romanian Prime Minister

Defense Minister Shin Won Sik lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Carol I Park in Bucharest, Romania, on June 19 (local time).

Korea and Poland agreed to further develop and expand mutually beneficial bilateral defense industry cooperation. Aside from ongoing projects, the two sides also agreed to cooperate closely on weapon systems in which Poland has an interest.

The Defense Ministry announced on June 20 (local time) that Minister Shin, who is visiting Poland, and Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz held the second meeting of the Korea-Poland Joint Committee for Defense and Defense Industry Cooperation.

The two ministers also agreed that Korea would actively support the training needed for the early normal operation of K2 tanks and FA-50 fighter jets purchased by Poland. They agreed to further develop cooperation, such as conducting cross training between military units of the two countries operating the same weapons systems.

The Joint Committee is a regular council of ministers that was inaugurated in June 2023. The committee has six subcommittees on defense cooperation and defense policy, military education, cyber security, Army, Air Force, and defense science and technology and the defense industry.

Poland decided to purchase K2 tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers from Korea and signed the first follow-up contract worth USD 5.76 billion in August 2022. In September 2022, Korea also signed an export implementation contract worth USD 3 billion to export 48 FA-50 fighter jets to Poland.

Meanwhile, Minister Shin visited the Romanian Prime Minister Ion-Marcel Ciolacu at Romania’s Victoria Palace in the afternoon of June 19 and exchanged views on developing a bilateral strategic partnership.

In particular, Minister Shin mentioned that bilateral strategic cooperation in three areas, nuclear energy, defense industry and infrastructure was agreed on at the Korea-Romania summit in April. He expressed his appreciation for the Romanian government's final decision to purchase K9 self-propelled howitzers from Korea, which “marks a new milestone in defense and defense industry cooperation.”

He said: “The transfer and local production of the weapon system helps Romania and also provides Korea with an opportunity to enter the global defense industry market. I look forward to entering the world with the joint products of the two countries.”

Prime Minister Ciolacu introduced a plan to develop the port of Constanța on the Black Sea coast and expressed his desire to make the Korean port of Busan and the Romanian port of Constanța a logistical hub between East and West.

On June 19, Minister Shin also visited and paid tribute to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Carol I Park in Bucharest and paid his respects with Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr.

The Tomb of the Unknown Solider was inaugurated in 1923 in memory of Romanian soldiers fallen in World War I. A commemorative event is held every year on Heroes’ Day and national holidays in Romania.

Minister Shin paid his respects by laying a wreath in the shape of the South Korean flag while flanked by a line of Romanian honor guards.

By Ah-Mi, Cho <joajoa@dema.mil.kr>

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