Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
Hyundai Rotem's K2 becomes 1st Korean defense product with NATO quality certification
Hyundai Rotem CEO Lee Yong-bae, left, poses with Shin Sang-bum, president at the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, after receiving a NATO quality assurance certification, at the former’s headquarters in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Courtesy of Hyundai Rotem
By Lee Min-hyung
Hyundai Rotem's K2 main battle tank has become the first Korean defense product to receive a NATO quality assurance certification — a key milestone that will strengthen the company's competitiveness in the global defense market, the defense firm said Tuesday.
The company received the Allied Quality Assurance Publications (AQAP)-2110 certification, a NATO quality assurance standard for the design, development and manufacturing of defense equipment.
AQAP-2110 is a key qualification for supplying defense equipment to NATO member states, as it verifies that products meet the alliance's stringent quality assurance requirements throughout the production process. The certification is widely regarded as an essential prerequisite for expanding defense exports to NATO countries and partner nations.
A K2 Black Panther battle tank of the Polish Armed Forces disembarks from a pontoon ferry during a military exercise at the training ground in Klusy, Poland, June 24. Reuters-Yonhap
The certification applies to Hyundai Rotem's armored vehicle lineup, including the K2 main battle tank, armored recovery vehicle and combat engineering vehicle. The company said it plans to broaden the scope of certification to additional defense products in line with market demand.
With the certification, the K2 tank now satisfies a key eligibility requirement for participating in defense procurement tenders across the NATO market, potentially enhancing its position during future bidding and contract negotiations.
NATO represents the world's largest defense procurement market, accounting for roughly 55 percent of global military spending. The alliance has continued to ramp up defense budgets amid heightened geopolitical tensions, while the Korean government has begun negotiations with NATO on a framework procurement agreement that could pave the way for Korean firms to participate in the alliance's joint procurement market, estimated at around 15 trillion won ($10 billion) annually.
Hyundai Rotem said the certification would also serve as an internationally recognized benchmark of the company's quality and technological capabilities, supporting its expansion beyond Europe into markets including the Middle East and Latin America.
"The certification will further strengthen our global competitiveness and reinforce the standing of Korea's defense industry by expanding cooperation with our supply chain partners," a Hyundai Rotem official said.