South Korea inks $939 million weapons supply deal with Romania

YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. South Korea has struck a 1.3 trillion-won (US$939 million) deal to supply weapons, including K-9 self-propelled howitzers, to Romania, Yonhap reports citing the state arms procurement agency.

Under the agreement signed Tuesday, South Korean defense giant Hanwha Aerospace will export weapons and ammunition, including 54 K-9 self-propelled howitzers and 36 K-10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

The deal -- the biggest in Romania's arms acquisition over the past seven years -- came about three months after President Yoon Suk Yeol held summit talks with his Romanian counterpart, Klaus Iohannis, in Seoul where they agreed to boost cooperation in defense and nuclear energy, Yonhap adds.

"Based on the K-9 self-propelled howitzer export deal, we anticipate cooperation with Romania to expand in areas such as ground weapons systems involving Redback infantry fighting vehicles and K-2 tanks as well as guided weapons involving air defense systems," Yonhap reports DAPA Minister Seok Jong-gun as saying.

With the deal, Romania has become the ninth country to acquire K-9 self-propelled howitzers, in addition to Australia, Egypt, India, Norway, Estonia, Turkey, Poland and Finland.