Korea nears top four arms exporters, Kang says

Dec 31, 2025, 08:28 am

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Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to President Lee Jae-myung, speaks to reporters after returning to South Korea via Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on December 30, following the signing of a third export contract for Hanwha Aerospace’s Chunmoo multiple-launch guided missile system in Poland. / Yonhap

Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to President Lee Jae-myung, said Monday that South Korea’s goal of becoming one of the world’s top four defense exporters is moving beyond rhetoric and gaining real momentum, citing a 5.6 trillion won contract for the Chunmoo multiple-launch guided missile system.

Speaking to reporters upon his return to Incheon International Airport, Kang unveiled the latest export achievement, noting that the deal marked a major step forward for the country’s defense industry.

Kang had traveled to Poland on Dec. 28 as the president’s special envoy for strategic economic cooperation and attended a signing ceremony held on Dec. 29 for the local production of the Chunmoo guided missile system by Hanwha Aerospace.

The company previously signed a first implementation contract worth about 5 trillion won in November 2022, followed by a second deal valued at roughly 2.2 trillion won in April 2024. The newly secured third contract amounts to 5.6 trillion won, further expanding South Korea’s defense exports to Poland.

Kang said that following the signing of a roughly $6.5 billion contract for K2 main battle tanks in August, total defense cooperation agreements with Poland under the Lee administration have surpassed $10 billion, or nearly 15 trillion won.

He added that South Korea’s total defense contracts with foreign countries reached $15.2 billion in 2025, emphasizing that more than 90 percent of that amount—$14.2 billion—was signed after the new administration took office in June.

Calling the recent contract with Poland “particularly meaningful,” Kang noted that it followed export achievements in Peru and Estonia. He pledged that the government would continue to build long-term and systematic cooperation with key partner countries and firmly establish South Korea as an optimal partner in defense and broader strategic economic cooperation.

#Kang Hoon-sik #Chunmoo missile system #Hanwha Aerospace #Poland defense contract #K-defense industry