{"id":125448,"date":"2026-08-19T22:43:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T22:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/125448\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T22:43:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T22:43:12","slug":"korea-exports-about-120-used-k9-howitzers-over-decade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/125448\/","title":{"rendered":"Korea Exports About 120 Used K9 Howitzers Over Decade"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"K9A1K9A1 self-propelled howitzer. Yonhap News<\/p>\n

Exporting K9 self-propelled howitzers to Finland in 2017 was no easy task. Talks had stalled as the Finnish government hesitated over the contract, citing budget constraints. At that point, South Korea offered an alternative: instead of new howitzers, it proposed shipping K9 units already in service with the Korean Army after they were completely disassembled, overhauled and reassembled \u2014 a depot-level refurbishment approach. Finland agreed, and the final export contract was sealed.<\/p>\n

It was the first overseas sale of used K9 howitzers. Finland was able to acquire used K9 units at half the price, with performance already proven through service in the Korean military, while the Korean Army received new K9 howitzers in return and strengthened its forces by deploying them to front-line units. The manufacturer, Hanwha Aerospace, also gained by exporting used K9 units slated for overhaul.<\/p>\n

Finland, the Korean military and the manufacturer all wrote a new chapter in defense exports in which every party won. The model involves refurbishing and modifying K9 howitzers operated by the Korean military and supplying them to allied nations as used equipment. Finland’s “K9FIN” and Estonia’s “K9 K\u00f5u” (Thunder) are the leading examples.<\/p>\n

According to reporting by The Seoul Economic Daily on the 20th, about 120 used K9 howitzers were confirmed to have been exported over the past decade, from 2017 to 2026. A total of 118 used K9 units were sold overseas, including 82 to Finland and 36 to Estonia.<\/p>\n

Exporting used equipment carries a different meaning from selling new products. The sale of used rather than new equipment signals that the performance of the weapons system has already been proven and that the buyer trusts it. In Finland’s case, after fielding its initial batch of 48 units with used K9 howitzers, it exercised an option clause to purchase 48 more.<\/p>\n

In April, the Finnish government made an additional K9 purchase. It chose the system again after operating the K9 for eight years in a harsh polar environment following its initial acquisition. Hanwha Aerospace will supply 112 K9 howitzers worth a total of 546 million euros (about 940 billion won) to Finland’s Ministry of Defence. Analysts say the deal has once again affirmed the excellence of Korean weapons systems.<\/p>\n

\"Source:Source: Army<\/p>\n

Estonia also acquired 24 used K9 howitzers worth 81.5 million euros (about 135 billion won) under its first contract, signed in 2020. It later triggered an option clause to secure 12 more, giving it a total fleet of 36 units as of this year. The acquisition package included not only the equipment but also training for instructors and maintenance personnel, tools and spare parts.<\/p>\n

Article 45 of the Defense Acquisition Act, the Basis for Exporting Used Weapons Abroad<\/p>\n

According to foreign media, Estonia’s Ministry of Defence said via the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, regarding its acquisition of K9 howitzers operated by the Korean military, that the newly acquired K9 howitzers reflect the country’s long-term readiness, resilience and cooperation with allies, calling it an investment to protect freedom.<\/p>\n

The overseas export of used K9 howitzers was an achievement made possible when the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Army and defense firms worked as one team. The legal basis for exporting used K9 howitzers abroad is Paragraph 4 of Article 45 of the Defense Acquisition Act, which covers the transfer or lease of state property.<\/p>\n

Under the provision, when a defense firm requests the transfer, lease, use permit or exchange of state-held defense facilities or defense materials for export purposes, the government may \u2014 notwithstanding other laws and within a scope that does not hinder military operations or the maintenance of combat readiness \u2014 transfer, lease or grant use of those defense facilities or materials for consideration or free of charge, or exchange them for defense materials owned by the defense firm.<\/p>\n

The procedure for exporting used weapons systems is governed by Article 57 of the Defense Acquisition Act and Paragraph 2 of Article 19 of the Foreign Trade Act, which require approval from the head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration for the overseas export of military strategic materials and other items.<\/p>\n

Under this framework, the process proceeds through the following steps: an application for transfer approval of military strategic materials and other items, filed by a foreign government or a domestic company; a review of transferability by the Ministry of National Defense; an application for an export permit, filed by the ministry or a domestic company once transferability is confirmed; and the granting of an export permit by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.<\/p>\n

An industry official said that buying used K9 howitzers rather than new ones works in the buyer’s favor in terms of both trust in durability and price. “The price of a new K9 is typically around 4.5 billion to 5 billion won per unit, but acquiring a used one can lower the price by about 1 billion won per unit,” the official said. “Because all consumable parts are replaced with new ones and the units are reassembled, their durability and performance are at the same level as new products.”<\/p>\n

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