KUALA LUMPUR: South Korea has expressed keen interest in collaborating with Malaysia to upgrade its fleet of K200 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV). Minister of South Korea’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration, Major General (Rtd) Seok Jong Gun, highlighted the potential partnership between the two nations‘ defence industries as a means to ensure the longevity and reliability of the K200 IFV. As Malaysia looks to modernize its military arsenal, the upgrade of the K200 IFV comes at a critical juncture, with the fleet requiring comprehensive enhancements to meet the evolving demands of modern warfare.
Seok emphasized South Korea’s commitment to providing thorough follow-on logistics support for the weapons supplied to its partners. With Malaysia moving towards upgrading its K200 IFV, which has been in service for over 30 years, Seok expressed hope that the upgrade could be performed in partnership between Malaysian and Korean defence industries to ensure the vehicles can operate stably for a longer period.
According to Seok, Malaysia imported 111 K-200 KIFV from South Korea since the 1990s, making Malaysia the sole export customer of this armoured vehicle. Between 1993 and 1995, Malaysia received 111 K200A1 – the upgraded variant of the base K200 with more powerful engines and transmission. The upgrade involved additional armour, a more powerful turbocharged engine, nuclear, biological, and chemical protection, as well as an automatic fire extinguishing system.
In addition to the upgrade of the K200 IFV, South Korea aims to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence industry and logistics cooperation with Malaysia. This effort is part of a broader strategy to formalize and institutionalize defence collaboration between the two nations. The MoU would enable regular discussions on the direction of defence industry cooperation and provide solutions for any issues that may arise during cooperative programs, further strengthening the partnership.
Seok expressed optimism that the defence industry collaboration between Malaysia and South Korea, which has already seen progress with the contract for the FA-50, could lead to a more comprehensive and long-lasting partnership through collaboration in other weapon systems. He highlighted that such cooperation would not only help Malaysia build its military capability and supply chain but also contribute to the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.
The Defence Services Asia and the National Security Asia 2024 exhibitions, which recently took place in Kuala Lumpur, showcased the world’s most advanced electronic warfare technologies and assets in the land, air, and sea defence sectors. With 34 countries setting up pavilions, including Turkiye, China, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, and the United States, the exhibitions provided a platform for countries to display their latest defence capabilities and explore potential collaborations.
In conclusion, the collaboration between South Korea and Malaysia in upgrading the K200 IFV and expanding defence industry cooperation holds promise for enhancing both nations‘ military capabilities and contributing to regional stability. As both countries work towards formalizing their partnership through a memorandum of understanding, the potential for long-lasting collaboration in various weapon systems and defence technologies is on the horizon.