In this fortnightly online column, ADM journalist Corey Lee Bell covers defence news across Japan and the Republic of Korea.
South Korea's military capabilities on show in Poland
South Korean defence industry firms possessed a strong presence at the 2025 Poland International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO), held in Kielce on September 2-5.
Among the successes for the Asian nation, was the signing of two agreements with international partners during the event, and heavy European interest in South Korean pavilions, which presented an array of land, air and sea-based platforms.
The Republic of Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace signed a new joint venture with Poland’s WB Group to manufacture 80-kilometre-ranged CGR-80 guided missiles for Poland’s Homar-K multiple launch rocket system, itself adapted from Hanwha’s Chunmoo launcher.
The venture, known as Hanwha WB Advanced Systems, is set to be 51 per cent owned by Hanwha, but will see the missiles manufactured in Poland in their entirety – part of a wider Korean industry strategy to offset European export barriers and secure an advantage over more prestigious international competitors.
Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz called the signing “probably the biggest event of this MSPO,” while praising the arrangement for allowing his nation to “import production” and become “more independent in terms of industry.”
The event also featured the signing of a teaming agreement between South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem Company (HRC) and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to integrate the latter’s Trophy Active Protection System (APS) on HRC’s K2 Black Panther Main Battle Tank (MBT) as well as other South Korean armoured platforms.
Poland recently acquired a second batch of 180 K2 tanks in a US $6.7 billion (approximately AU $10 billion) deal with HRC, with additional procurements slated as a possibility.
HRC also showcased the production version of its Sherpa unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) for the first time. The electric-powered Sherpa is capable of both remote operation and manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) and has an open mission system architecture which allows for a variety of roles including remote fire support, reconnaissance, casualty evaluation and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) detection.
These specifications match Europe’s growing appetite for modular unmanned and autonomous systems, partly in response to lessons drawn from the conflict in Ukraine.
MSPO 2025 also saw the debut of a large joint display featuring South Korea’s SNT Group’s firearms and auto-part producer SNT Motiv, and artillery/powertrain developer SNT Dynamics.
The joint pavillion, which comes in the wake of the latter’s deal to provide transmission units to Turkey’s BMC Atlay main battle tanks (based on the K2), included tank powerpacks, as well as a variety of rifles and vehicle mounted weapons systems, including a cutting edge 20mm remote controlled weapons stations (RCWS) suitable for MUM-T platforms.
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) was also a drawcard at the event, with its pavilion showcasing flagship models including its next generation KF-21, as well as MUM-T unmanned combat aerial vehicles and adaptable aerial platforms (AAP) capable of being linked to the KF-21 and FA-50 multi-role light fighter.
The display comes as Poland has expressed growing interest in the KF-21, following a visit of KAI facilities by senior Polish air force officials in June.
Yet the most prominent Korean exhibition was the 300 square metre Hanwha Defence Group pavilion, jointly occupied by Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean.
The centrepiece of Hanwha’s pavilion was Hanwha Ocean’s air-independent propulsion (AIP), lithium-powered KSS III (Jangbogo-III) class submarine, which is competing for Poland’s AUD $8.7 billion Orka submarine program – a key pillar of the country’s strategy to increase security in the Baltic Sea.
Other items on display included patrol boats, 500 tonne high speed missile boats, the debut of the K9A2 self-propelled howitzer and K-NIFV infantry fighting armored vehicle (Hanwha Aerospace), as well as Hanwha Systems latest Active Defense System (APS) and Cheongwang anti-aircraft laser system.
The strong Korean showing follows a largely successful push by successive administrations in Seoul to increase the nation’s defence exports and strengthen defence ties with Europe – a measure that has resulted in more than a fourfold increase in Korean defence exports to Europe between 1999 and 2023.
Poland is by far South Korea’s largest defence buyer, accounting for almost half of the nation’s global exports.