Hanwha in talks with 7 nations to sell K-9 howitzers

By Jun Ji-hye, Joint press corps

Korean defense firm Hanwha Techwin is in talks with at least seven countries in Asia, Europe and Africa to export its K-9 self-propelled howitzers, defense officials said Wednesday.

Among them, one Asian country is about to conclude a deal to buy some 100 howitzers.

The officials refused to reveal the names of the countries, citing confidentiality obligations.

Some European countries have also been expressing their intentions to buy the howitzers in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014, officials said, noting that the negotiations have made rapid progress especially in Northern Europe.

Some African countries have also shown their interest in buying the howitzers, officials noted.

The company developed the 155-millimeter howitzer for the nation's armed forces in 1998 to replace K-55 howitzers.

The howitzer, with a maximum range of some 40 kilometers at a maximum speed of 67 kilometers per hour, can fire six rounds in a minute.

Officials said that the K-9 has high competitive edge as it offers great price and performance, and has been very reliable during its operations.

The K-9, one of the core weapons used by the ROK Army, played a key role in countering North Korea's artillery shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), on Nov. 23, 2010, that killed two Marines and two civilians.

The defense firm is currently displaying its self-propelled howitzer in Eurosatory, a biennial international defense and security trade show, which kicked off Monday for a five-day run in Paris.

Eurosatory is one of the world's largest defense exhibitions, which brings together some 1,600 defense-related suppliers from some 70 countries this year.

In 2011, the company sold 350 K-9 howitzers to Turkey on a technology transfer basis, which called for the firm to provide the parts and technology. The value of the trade was estimated at about $1 billion.

Then in 2014, the firm also signed a deal with Poland to sell 120 K-9s.

At the time, the company said the export, whose total value was estimated at about $310 million, was expected to help the firm pave the way for more sales in Europe.

During the defense and security expo underway in Paris, a total of 21 Korean defense manufacturers including Hanwha Techwin and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) are showcasing their weapons made with domestic technologies.

KAI displayed a mockup of its Surion (KUH-1), the first Korean-designed helicopter, while Kia Motors showcased its light tactical vehicle, a version of the Humvee tactical vehicle.