Kim Seungyeon’s Resolve and Dongkwan Kim’s Strategy Lead to the First U.S. Export of a Fully Developed Korean Weapon System

Hanwha’s Generational Commitment to Defense Self-Sufficiency


Hanwha Aerospace Secures K9 Mobile Howitzer Prototype Supply Contract

Project Valued at Around 10 Trillion Won


Chairman Seungyun Kim’s Extensive U.S. Network

Hanwha Aerospace has achieved a new milestone by becoming the first company to export self-propelled howitzers to the United States with a domestically developed complete weapon system. Korea, which developed its defense strength through U.S. military aid during the Korean War, has, after more than 70 years, become a country exporting self-propelled artillery to the U.S. At the center of this achievement are the commitment to the defense industry shared across two generations—Chairman Seungyeon Kim of Hanwha Group and Senior Vice Chairman Dongkwan Kim—as well as a meticulously crafted business strategy based on a global network.

Seungyun Kim, Chairman of Hanwha Group, Dongkwan Kim, Senior Vice Chairman. The Asia Business Daily DB

On the 18th (local time), the U.S. Army announced it had signed a contract with Hanwha Defense USA to supply prototype K9 Mobile Howitzers for its artillery modernization program.

The U.S. Army stated, "This contract accelerates the introduction of six prototype MTCs (Mobile Tactical Cannons), and includes an option to supply an additional 12 units." The Army further explained, "The platform will be used by soldiers in a series of operational experiments to assess its performance, reliability, and maintainability in real combat environments."

The MTC program is an effort to replace the U.S. Army's currently operated M777 155mm towed howitzer. The goal is to secure a wheeled self-propelled howitzer capable of faster movement and quick repositioning after firing, compared to towed artillery. Hanwha, through its U.S. subsidiary, proposed the "K9 Mobile Howitzer (K9MH)," a 155mm self-propelled howitzer that integrates the firepower technology of the K9, already deployed in countries worldwide, onto a wheeled platform. Unlike the existing tracked K9, this model mounts its turret on a high-mobility wheeled vehicle, excelling in long-distance travel and rapid deployment.

If the test evaluation process, which will be conducted over the next three years, is successfully passed, there is potential to secure follow-on mass production along with ammunition, maintenance, and military logistics support contracts. Depending on the results of the evaluation, the deal may progress to a full-scale production project. The final order is estimated to reach approximately 500 units, and the main contract's value has been estimated at around 10 trillion won. Global defense firms such as Germany's Rheinmetall and the UK's BAE Systems participated in the bidding, but Hanwha was ultimately selected as the sole contractor.

Kim Seung-yeon, Chairman of Hanwha Group, is visiting the Eagles baseball game and greeting fans. Photo by Hanwha

This achievement is attributed to the steadfastness of Chairman Seungyeon Kim and the effective strategies of Senior Vice Chairman Dongkwan Kim.

Chairman Seungyeon Kim is widely known as a business leader with strong connections in the United States, having relationships with former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, as well as prominent American political figures. He has maintained a relationship of over 40 years with Edwin Feulner, founder of the Heritage Foundation, regularly discussing international affairs. In a meeting in 2022, Senior Vice Chairman Dongkwan Kim also participated, engaging in in-depth discussions on global economic and diplomatic issues, as well as ways to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance.

Hanwha's determination to enter the U.S. market was demonstrated as early as nine years ago at North America's largest land defense exhibition in Washington, D.C. At that time, Hanwha drew attention for directly transporting full-scale K9 howitzers and Biho complex armored vehicles, each weighing several dozen tons, to the American exhibition hall. Since then, Hanwha has actively sought ways to contribute to Korea-U.S. security and economic cooperation by providing solutions tailored to the U.S. Army's artillery modernization needs. The company established a U.S. subsidiary and recruited former commanders of U.S. Forces Korea, former U.S. government officials, and top executives from leading global defense firms to enable swift response to changes in U.S. defense policy and strategy. Since November 2024, Chairman Seungyeon Kim has concurrently served as chairman of Hanwha Aerospace, aiming to support the expansion of cooperation and business in shipbuilding, defense, and energy sectors based on a robust personal U.S. network.

Chairman Seungyeon Kim's commitment to the defense industry and exports has been fully inherited by Senior Vice Chairman Dongkwan Kim. At the time of the 2014 acquisition of Samsung Techwin (now Hanwha Aerospace), Dongkwan Kim emphasized, "For a country to survive as an independent nation, it must be self-sufficient in food, energy, and defense supplies," and highlighted "Hanwha's role in achieving self-reliance in defense supplies, especially for Korea's self-reliant national defense," underscoring the legitimacy of the acquisition.

Furthermore, during the rapid changes in international affairs in 2021–2022, including the war in Ukraine, Senior Vice Chairman Dongkwan Kim drove efforts to analyze market trends and local demand for defense materials in Europe. Hanwha formed a task force and dispatched employees to Finland, Estonia, Poland, Romania, and across Europe to gather intelligence from local stakeholders, establish communication channels, and introduce the advantages of Hanwha's weapon systems. As a result, Hanwha achieved export contracts for K9 self-propelled howitzers and Cheonmu multiple rocket launchers with Poland.

The K9 wheeled self-propelled howitzer (K9MH) is conducting a firing test at the Agency for Defense Development test range. Provided by Hanwha Aerospace.

Attention is now on whether this successful bid will also impact the U.S. Navy's plan to increase its shipbuilding. On the 13th, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that foreign companies with shipyards in the United States would be temporarily allowed to build up to two ships in their home countries, raising hopes in the Korean shipbuilding industry. Hanwha is essentially the only company operating shipyards in both Korea and the United States, making it the most attractive candidate for U.S. Navy ship contracts.

A Hanwha representative stated, "Our accumulated network and the group's long-standing experience allowed us to recognize the importance of early entry into overseas defense markets such as the U.S. and Europe and boldly pursue investments in people and resources. The commitment to advancing the defense industry across two generations, the global network, and strategic, meticulous leadership have laid the foundation for Hanwha to achieve simultaneous success in exporting self-propelled artillery to the U.S. and expanding into naval shipbuilding."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.