The headline suggests that the export of 20 K9 self-propelled howitzers is imminent, marking the first entry of South Korea’s defense industry (“K-방산”) into Vietnam. The deal is reported to be worth around $300 million, and Vietnam is poised to become the 11th country to use the K9, joining others like Turkey, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Norway, Egypt, India, Australia, and Romania.
The K9 entering the Vietnamese market signifies the expansion of South Korean defense products into Southeast Asia, and it represents the first instance of exporting these homegrown weapons to a communist country. This development comes amid Vietnam’s ongoing territorial dispute with China over the Spratly Islands. Facing challenges due to outdated military equipment, Vietnam has opted to import South Korean weaponry.
Analysts suggest that if Vietnam adopts South Korean weapons compatible with NATO systems, it could be perceived as a shift towards an anti-China or de-China alignment strategy.