Korea lands K9 howitzer deal with Vietnam

The K9 self-propelled howitzer, a flagship of Korea’s defense industry, will be exported to Vietnam, marking the first sale of the weapon in Southeast Asia. Vietnam will become the 10th country in the world to adopt the K9, excluding South Korea.

According to industry sources on the 14th, the governments of South Korea and Vietnam have signed a government-to-government contract to supply 20 K9 howitzers for about $260 million.

Vietnam will be the first Southeast Asian country to operate the K9. This also marks the first time a Korean weapons system will be sold to a former communist country. While Vietnam previously received decommissioned Korean patrol ships free of charge, it has never formally imported Korean weapons.

In a territorial dispute with China over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, Vietnam is reportedly seeking to secure weapons quickly while considering the K9 the best fit in terms of performance and cost.

With this deal, the number of K9 operators outside South Korea rises to 10, including Estonia, India, Egypt, Norway, Romania, Australia, Poland, Finland, and Türkiye. Following a major export deal with Poland, Korean defense companies have focused on the Eastern European market. Hanwha Aerospace has supplied more than 200 K9s to Poland and still has 152 more to deliver. In Romania, which ordered 54 units, the company plans to build a local production plant.

However, growing territorial disputes between China and various Southeast Asian countries are fueling projections that the region's arms market will expand rapidly. In June, Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration played a key role in brokering a deal for Korea Aerospace Industries to export 12 FA-50 light attack aircraft to the Philippines, valued at about $700 million. This was the first such deal in 11 years, following a 2014 contract for 12 units.

The Philippines is also pursuing the purchase of at least 30 multirole fighters, attracting interest from the United States, Japan, and others. Korea’s KF-21 fighter is reportedly among the candidates. Hyundai Rotem, producer of the K2 tank, is also exploring entry into the Southeast Asian market.

The main competitors in the region are the United States, with its advanced fighter technology, and Japan, which has recently opened the door to weapons exports by revising its pacifist constitution and is leveraging its naval shipbuilding expertise.

Industry insiders believe that Korean companies could secure contracts in Southeast Asia by offering technology transfers alongside weapons sales. “Most Southeast Asian countries want contracts that include technology transfers rather than simple purchases," a defense industry official said. "As with Eastern Europe, offering options for local production could change the game in Asia.”


Won-Joo Lee takeoff@donga.com