Warsaw, Poland - Poland's newly appointed Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, affirmed the country's commitment to a significant defense contract with South Korea, a deal orchestrated by the previous government.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during a phone conversation with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, Sikorski underscored the enduring value of defense cooperation between the two nations.
In their dialogue, Minister Cho briefed Sikorski on recent legislative developments within South Korea aimed at bolstering the financial capabilities of the state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank). This includes a bill passed by the National Assembly to increase Eximbank's equity capital and the legal ceiling on loans and guarantees, thereby facilitating South Korean defense companies in securing more international arms agreements.
The reaffirmation comes amidst speculation regarding the continuity of the defense pact following a governmental shift in Poland after the general elections in October last year. In 2022, South Korean firms achieved landmark agreements to supply Poland with K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, FA-50 light attack aircraft, and Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers. However, attempts to finalize additional contracts faced financial hurdles as Eximbank reached its lending and guarantee threshold due to the scale of the 2022 agreements.
This discussion marks the first official communication between Foreign Ministers Cho and Sikorski since they assumed their respective offices in January this year and December of the previous year.