South Korea army will receive more wheeled armored vehicles for infantrymen.

South Korea's Army unveiled an ambitious plan Thursday, October 18, 2018, to equip all of its infantry squads with advanced wheeled armored vehicles and other APC Armored Personnel Carrier by 2030.

South Korean army K808 8x8 wheeled APC Armored Personnel Carrier at DX Korea live demonstration. October 2018 (Picture source Army Recognition)

The Mount Paektu Tiger (MPT) project, worth US$1.1 billion, aims to enable all ground troops to move by wheeled armored carriers, such as the K808 and K806 combat vehicles and other small tactical vehicles. The MPT program is created to offer more mobility and fire power to infantrymen.

The South Korea Army, which has around 480,000 troops, is a key element in the country's 620,000-strong armed forces. The government plans to reduce the latter number to half a million by 2022 under a reform scheme.

According a news of December 8, 2017, from the South Korean Yonhap News Agency website, the Defense Department of the South Korean Company Hyundai Rotem has won a contract of US$357 million to deliver latest generation of wheeled armored vehicles K806 and K808 also called WAV (Wheeled Armored Vehicle) to the South Korean army.

South Korean army K806 6x6 wheeled APC Armored Personnel Carrier at DX Korea live demonstration. October 2018 (Picture source Army Recognition)

In September 2018, it was announced that the South Korean Company Hyundai Rotem will begin mass production of wheeled armored vehicles K806 and K808 later this year after the vehicles completed a series of field tests by Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) units between April and August.

The K806 and K808 are wheeled armored vehicles respectively in 6x6 and 8x8 configuration sharing the main components. The K808 has been designed to offer a rapid deployment combat vehicle for infantry units able to perform reconnaissance missions in front line areas, including mountainous regions, while the K806, a is intended for use in mobile strike and reconnaissance missions in the rear.