Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Minister Seok Jong-gun, left, shakes hands with Polish Deputy Minister of State Assets Marcin Kulasek at the MSPO 2024 in Kielce, Poland, Tuesday. Courtesy of DAPA

Mutual defense cooperation between Korea and Poland is deepening further as Korean companies establish a significant presence at this year's MSPO, an annual international military industry exhibition held in Kielce, Poland, from Tuesday to Friday.

According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), Thursday, approximately 30 Korean arms manufacturers participating in the 32nd edition of the Polish defense exhibition have set up a Korean Pavilion.

This marks the largest participation by the Korean defense industry at a single overseas defense exhibition.

DAPA Minister Seok Jong-gun also attended the defense expo, where he met key Polish defense officials, including Deputy Minister of National Defense Pawel Bejda and Deputy Minister of State Assets Marcin Kulasek.

During their meetings, Seok urged the European country to promptly finalize the contract for the additional purchase of Korean-made K2 Black Panther tanks.

Seok also addressed related issues, including the production of the purchased tanks in Poland, technology transfer, and cooperation in maintenance, repair, and operations.

Some of the purchased tanks will be manufactured in Poland.

"We agreed that the prompt conclusion of the execution contract (for additional purchases of K2 tanks) is necessary to meet the Polish military's desired timeline for force buildup," Seok said, stressing that the Korean arms procurement authority will support additional defense cooperation in the future, including submarine projects.

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Minister Seok Jong-gun, left, shakes hands with Polish Deputy Minister of National Defense Paweł Bejda at the MSPO 2024 in Kielce, Poland, Tuesday. Courtesy of DAPA

Early this year, Poland signed a $1.6 billion deal with Korea to purchase 72 Chunmoo rocket artillery systems and several thousand tactical guided missiles.

In 2022, the European country also ordered 1,000 K2 tanks, 288 rocket artillery launchers and 212 K9 self-propelled howitzers from Korea.

The first 180 K2 tanks, made by Hyundai Rotem and equipped with auto-loading 120mm guns, were delivered that year, with the production of 800 upgraded tanks starting in Poland in 2026.

In addition to the previously agreed-upon import of 1,000 K2 tanks, Poland is expected to finalize the additional purchase of 180 K2 tanks when the execution contract is concluded in the second half of this year.

The Korean military also plans to acquire about 200 drones from Poland over the course of this year and the next.

DAPA, which received a proposal for a contract involving Polish drones last month, is currently preparing to announce a bid. Military authorities note that the Polish drones have demonstrated their performance through extensive use in the war in Ukraine.