Polish Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Blaszczak, highlighted the progress of cooperation between Poland and South Korea during his visit, where he emphasized the delivery of the first tanks and K9 cannon howitzers to the 16th Mechanized Division. This equipment replaces outdated post-Soviet models, with further plans to replace existing aircraft with FA-50 aircraft. The focus is on modernizing the Polish Armed Forces, and the Ministry of Defense has secured favourable prices for the advanced Korean equipment, awaiting financial support from the Bank of National Economy to fulfil their plans and strengthen Poland’s military capabilities.
Deputy Prime Minister Blaszczak Strengthens Polish-Korean Defense Cooperation to Empower Armed Forces
Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Blaszczak, commenced his three-day visit to South Korea on Monday, June 5, focusing on enhancing the collaboration between the two nations. Addressing the disarming and dissolution of military units during the opposition’s reign, Blaszczak emphasized the efforts made by the Law and Justice party since 2015 to fortify the Polish Military, establishing new units and equipping troops with state-of-the-art equipment.
During the initial day of his visit, the Minister engaged in discussions with South Korea’s Defense Minister, Minister LEE Jong-sup, and Eom Donh-Hwan, the Minister of the Defense Procurement Agency, exploring avenues to bolster the capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces through Polish-Korean cooperation.
Strengthening Equipment Delivery and Expanding Capabilities
Continuing his visit to South Korea, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense engaged in fruitful discussions with representatives from the country’s defence industry. Delving into the specifics of their cooperation, which was initiated during the Minister’s visit in May last year, the focus has now shifted to the implementation and fine details of the agreements.
Highlighting a significant achievement, the Minister emphasized that the initial batch of tanks and howitzers has already been delivered to Poland, with more equipment gradually being added since their arrival last December. Additionally, plans are underway to introduce missile launchers with an impressive range of up to 300 kilometres in Poland.
This collaborative effort between South Korea and Poland not only reflects a strong investment in Poland but also signifies the country’s growing defence capabilities and reinforces the security of the nation.
Minister Blaszczak to Attend FA-50 Roll-Out Ceremony and Sign MOU for Joint Defense Cooperation
Marking a significant milestone, on Wednesday, June 7, Minister M. Blaszczak is set to attend the official roll-out ceremony of the first FA-50 Fighting Eagle aircraft, which has been contracted for Poland from the KAI Factory. This event will be accompanied by a demonstration of fire training exercises featuring the K239 Chunmoo rocket artillery system and the K9 self-propelled cannon howitzer, with both defence ministers from Poland and Korea in attendance.
In addition to this, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed between the ministers of Poland and Korea, establishing the Joint Korean-Polish Committee (JKPC) on Cooperation in the Fields of Defense and Defense Industry. This collaborative initiative will be led by the defence ministers, who will chair the first council meeting. The committee will comprise six working committees, dedicated to enhancing military cooperation, education, and promoting scientific research and development.