South Korean K2 tanks will be produced in Poland for both domestic use and exportation.

A tweet published by Jedrzej Graf, chief editor of Defence24 Polish defense magazine, on June 15, 2023, reveals that the K2 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), manufactured by the Polish-Korean consortium of Hyundai Rotem, PGZ, and WZM Poznań, will be produced in Poland for both domestic use and exportation. This news was shared by Jun Mo SEO, the Vice President of Hyundai Rotem Company, during an interview with Defence24 magazine.
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The new K2PL Main Battle Tank for Polish Army. (Picture source Polish Mod)

In July 2022, a framework agreement was established with Hyundai Rotem to procure a total of 1,000 K2 main battle tanks. This contract also included the Polonized K2PL version, along with additional support vehicles, infrastructure, and various Polish-designed components. The package was complemented with a training and logistics bundle, ammunition supply, and technical assistance from the manufacturer.

A pivotal step in the development of the K-2PL tanks for the Polish military was reported on April 2, 2023, by the Army Recognition editorial team. This significant milestone saw the creation of a joint venture between the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) member, Military Industrial Automotive (WZM), and South Korea's Hyundai Rotem Company. This collaboration aims to furnish the Polish military with K2 MBTs and corresponding equipment.

The Polish Ministry of National Defense entered a contractual agreement with Hyundai Rotem, a South Korean defense company, in August 2022. This contract obliges Hyundai Rotem to deliver 250 K2 MBTs to Poland in the forthcoming years. By December 2022, the first consignment of ten K2 MBTs had already arrived in Poland.

The K2PL, an improved variant of the South Korean K2 Black Panther, is tailored to meet the specific needs and requirements of the Polish armed forces. Its design boasts a new armor package mounted around the turret and hull sides. The turret roof is also equipped with a remotely operated weapon station armed with a 12.7mm machine gun.

The K2PL's main armament consists of one German-made Rheinmetall 120-mm/ L55 smoothbore gun, produced under license in South Korea. It features an automatic loader with 16 ready-to-fire rounds and storage for 24 additional rounds inside the hull.

To further fortify the K2PL tank against RPG threats, a wire cage armor is installed on the hull's rear side. The tank also possesses an Active Protection System (APS) to deter antitank guided missiles, albeit it is not designed to counter high-velocity, high-explosive or kinetic energy tank-fired munitions.