South Korea and Poland to upgrade ties as Tusk calls Seoul key ally after US

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk agreed on Monday to upgrade ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, ⁠with the leaders placing defense cooperation at the centre of the relationship.

In remarks made before talks between the leaders at the presidential Blue House, Lee said the countries would further expand defense industry cooperation under a $44.2 billion framework pact signed in 2022.

"K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, FA-50 light-attack aircraft, and Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers — bearing South Korea's technology and pride — are now safeguarding Poland's territory and its people across its vast ⁠lands," ⁠Lee said.

The South Korean leader said that the partnership extended beyond arms sales to include joint production, technology transfers and training.

Tusk described South Korea as Poland's "most important ally after the United States, especially in the defense industry" and said he would personally oversee expanded defense cooperation between the countries.

He said the upgraded partnership meant the two countries would take ⁠on a shared responsibility and should play a role in contributing to global peace and international stability.

The two leaders also affirmed expanded cooperation across a wide range of fields, including energy supply chains, infrastructure, science and technology, advanced industries, space and people-to-people exchanges.

South Korea has become one of Poland's leading arms suppliers in ⁠recent ‌years ‌as Warsaw moves to rapidly modernise its military ⁠following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In ‌2022, South Korea and Poland signed a defense framework agreement for South Korean companies to supply ⁠Poland with arms as well as jointly produce ⁠military equipment on Polish soil.

Since then, defense companies including ⁠Hanwha Aerospace and Hyundai Rotem have signed follow-up, multi-billion-dollar contracts to supply equipment such as tanks and missile launchers.