Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
INTERVIEW Korea, Poland deepen strategic partnership amid global security challenges
Marcin Przydacz, secretary of state and head of the International Policy Bureau at the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, speaks at the Polish Embassy in Seoul, March 17. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
By Anna J. Park
Poland's Secretary of State says Seoul is now Warsaw's second-largest arms partner
In an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape, Korea and Poland are strengthening bilateral cooperation as key partners through bilateral cooperation across defense, security and global governance.
In a recent interview with The Korea Times, Marcin Przydacz, Poland’s secretary of state and head of the International Policy Bureau at the Chancellery of the President, said defense has emerged as the most visible and rapidly growing pillar of bilateral relations with Korea, now Poland's second-largest defense partner after the United States.
Poland shares borders with both Ukraine and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. While Russia's war has not crossed into Polish territory, it has fundamentally altered the country's security calculus. Warsaw raised defense spending to approximately 5 percent of GDP in response, accelerating a military modernization program that has drawn heavily on Korean-made advanced defense systems.
Key acquisitions include K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers and a FA-50 light combat aircraft, which Polish officials consider essential to closing critical capability gaps.
“We had a gap in our military capabilities and needed to catch up with advanced technologies,” Przydacz said. “South Korea's technology was good enough and just accurate for us when it comes to K2, K9, FA 50 — all those technologies were very much important and badly needed by Poland.”
He added that while multiple countries offered competitive solutions, speed of delivery proved decisive.
"It was very important to catch up as soon as possible. Our main partner in defense cooperation which so far was and still is the United States could not provide us so quickly so much of that equipment that's why we decided to choose you," he said.
However, both sides aim to move beyond a traditional buyer–seller relationship. Poland is encouraging Korean defense firms to establish local production facilities and joint ventures, enabling deeper industrial cooperation and potentially granting Korean companies access to European Union defense funding.
“Poland can serve as a gateway to NATO’s eastern flank,” Przydacz noted, pointing to rising defense demand across Central and Eastern Europe, including Finland, Sweden and Greece.
Cooperation is also expanding into emerging domains. Drawing on its experience supporting Ukraine, Poland has developed capabilities in drone warfare and counter-hybrid operations — areas where Korea faces similar security challenges.
Marcin Przydacz, secretary of State and head of the International Policy Bureau at the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, speaks at the Polish Embassy in Seoul, March 17. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Shared threats, shared outlook
Przydacz underscored that Korea and Poland share similar security perspectives, which underpin their growing partnership. Both countries face complex regional threats — Seoul from Pyongyang and Poland from Russia, Belarus and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“Both of our countries face comparable challenges,” he said. “This creates a natural foundation for closer cooperation, particularly in defending a rules-based international order.”
He stressed that collaboration should extend beyond bilateral ties to include coordination among transatlantic and Indo-Pacific partners such as Japan and Australia.
Poland is also seeking to expand cooperation with Korea on the global stage, particularly within the G20 framework. As Poland prepares to participate in this year’s G20 summit in Miami in December, Przydacz — who also serves as Poland’s G20 Sherpa — highlighted the value of learning from Korea’s experience as an established member.
“We are newcomers and South Korea has valuable expertise,” he said. “Exchanging perspectives with trusted partners is essential.”
Poland’s priorities within the G20 include promoting economic growth, sharing its post-communist development experience and addressing global challenges such as energy security and demographic decline.
On demographics, Przydacz noted that both countries face persistently low fertility rates, making population sustainability a shared concern.
“This is a challenge that requires serious discussion,” he said, calling for solutions that balance economic needs with social stability and core values.
Diversifying economic, educational ties
Additionally, economic cooperation between the two countries remains robust. Korea is currently the largest Asian investor in Poland, contributing significantly to the country’s growth while benefiting from strong returns.
Poland also sees potential to expand cooperation in food security, positioning itself as a reliable supplier to Korea’s 50 million consumers.
“Poland is a major provider of food products to many countries,” Przydacz said. “We believe we can further strengthen our role as a trusted supplier to Korea and the broader region.”
Academic and educational exchanges are also gaining momentum, particularly in engineering and technical fields. Przydacz highlighted the importance of strengthening university partnerships and student mobility, describing education as a “crucial pillar” for long-term cooperation.