South Korea replaces the US in arms exports to Europe

Recently, South Korea has emerged as a key arms supplier to US allies in Europe as American stockpiles dwindle.

At the same time, South Korea's main client is Poland, which is located on NATO's eastern flank and is actively preparing for war with Russia.

In particular, Poland has completed a deal to purchase a second batch of 180 South Korean tanks under a 2022 deal, which will allow it to replenish its arsenal with almost 1,000 units of armored vehicles.

The Polish Defense Ministry said the armored vehicles will partially replace Soviet tanks that Poland transferred to Ukraine for the war with Russia. According to CNN, according to the Wilson Center in Washington, Poland has supplied Ukraine with more than 300 tanks, more than 350 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers.

Meanwhile, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, over the past five years, South Korea has risen to 10th place in the world in arms exports.

As the war in Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza drag on, U.S. military aid to Ukraine and Israel has depleted American arsenals. As a result, according to a 2024 Stimson Center report, South Korea is increasingly being considered as an option for U.S. allies in need of weapons.