Foreign soldiers from countries operating Korean-made K9 howitzers listen to an introduction to the weapon as part of the Korea-Army International Course program, in this photo provided by the Army, Nov. 22, 2024. Yonhap

Korea is in the final stage of reaching a $300 million agreement to export homegrown K9 self-propelled howitzers to Vietnam, industry and government sources said Monday, in what would mark the first arms exports to the Southeast Asian nation when finalized.

Under the envisioned plan, Korea will ship around 20 K9 howitzers to Vietnam, which would make Hanoi the 10th country outside of Seoul to acquire the weapons systems, according to the sources.

Korea has so far shipped the K9 to Australia, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, India, Norway, Poland, Romania and Turkey.

The rare deal comes as Vietnam, which is Korea's third-largest trading partner, seeks to diversify its arms supplies amid changes in global and regional security circumstances.

In November, Vietnamese troops took part in a K9 training program for foreign troops organized by the Korean Army.

During a trip to Korea in 2023, Vietnamese Defense Minister Gen. Phan Van Giang visited a Korean Army unit that operates the K9 and was briefed on the weapons system by its manufacturer Hanwha Aerospace.

Korea previously donated two decommissioned corvettes to Vietnam. (Yonhap)