"I’d heard a lot about the K-defense industry, but not to this extent"... Defense attachés in Vietnam wide-eyed at K2 tanks and Chunmoo

HANOI, Vietnam — Major South Korean defense companies have launched a full-fledged sales drive for the so-called K-defense industry in Vietnam. In August last year, Vietnam signed a contract to procure the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer produced by Hanwha Aerospace through a government-to-government (G2G) deal. This marks the first export of Korean-made defense equipment to Vietnam and the first such case to a former communist bloc country. The industry expects that this first K9 Thunder deal in Southeast Asia will serve as a springboard for South Korean defense firms to step up their push into the broader Southeast Asian defense market, including Vietnam.
A South Korean defense delegation made up of Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Rotem, LIG Nex1, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hyundai Corporation took part in a two-day defense cooperation briefing held on the 3rd and 4th at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam in Hanoi. Co-hosted by the Korean Embassy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the event was organized to deepen understanding of South Korea’s defense industry across Vietnam and Southeast Asia and to build a foundation for mid- to long-term cooperation. KOTRA operates Defense Materials Trade Support Centers (KODITS) at 11 trade offices worldwide to support government-to-government transactions for defense companies.
The delegation visited the state-owned defense company VAXUCO and met with Vietnamese defense industry officials. They also held talks with more than 20 foreign defense attachés stationed in Vietnam from countries including Thailand and the Philippines, presenting each company’s core capabilities and exploring possibilities for defense cooperation.
In the keynote presentation on the first day, Yoon Sang-ho, head of business consulting firm SMBL and former head of the Korean community association, stressed the potential for expanding defense cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam. "South Korea can become Vietnam’s new defense supply chain partner after China and Russia," Yoon said, emphasizing the room for growth in bilateral defense ties. He added that nurturing pro-Korean talent within the Vietnamese military would be a key element for long-term cooperation.
LIG Nex1 then highlighted the technological strengths of its advanced guided weapon systems, including the Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM). Hyundai Corporation, acting as a project organizer, announced a strategy to gather specific requirements from each country and work with domestic defense manufacturers to offer tailored solutions.
Hyundai Rotem focused on its K2 main battle tank, presenting concepts for next-generation tanks as well as wheeled armored vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), covering the full spectrum of ground combat systems. Hanwha Aerospace showcased its defense portfolio centered on the Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), a long-range precision strike platform. The company stressed Chunmoo’s ability to operate multiple types of missiles with different ranges and missions, along with its GPS-guided precision strike capability. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries underscored its strict adherence to delivery schedules and strong technological capabilities as key advantages over competitors. The company previously delivered two patrol vessels, BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Diego Silang, to the Philippines; notably, BRP Miguel Malvar was handed over five months ahead of schedule, drawing attention.
Foreign defense attachés stationed in Vietnam showed keen interest, asking detailed questions about product performance and operational concepts after each company’s presentation.
A representative from one defense company said, "The Vietnamese military and other Southeast Asian countries are increasingly interested in South Korean defense firms, which offer relatively low political and geopolitical risk, excellent cost-effectiveness and are proactive about technology transfer." The representative added, "It is still an early stage, but given issues such as the South China Sea, Southeast Asia has enormous potential for defense cooperation, and our company is paying close attention to the region."
A defense attaché from an Asian country stationed in Vietnam remarked, "I had heard a lot about South Korean defense companies, but seeing the detailed product portfolios and technical specifications in person was impressive," adding, "I plan to report back to my government in detail."

rejune1112@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Jun-seok Reporter