[류권하] 폴란드가 한국으로 향하는 이유

[Ryu Kwon-ha] Why Poland is turning to Korea

The Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's visit to Seoul on Sunday has once again cast a spotlight on the burgeoning relationship between South Korea and Poland.

This visit is far from a mere diplomatic formality. Against the backdrop of a European security architecture and industrial order being fundamentally reshaped by the war in Ukraine, this summit serves as a critical litmus test for how far and deep the strategic partnership between these two nations can expand.

The area where Poland’s expectations of Korea are most pronounced is undeniable: defense. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Poland has emerged as one of the most proactive nations in Europe in terms of military modernization. In this pursuit, it has selected South Korean weapon systems — including the K2 Black Panther tank, K9 self-propelled howitzer, FA-50 light attack aircraft and Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher — as the core pillars of its force reinforcement. The $44.2 billion defense package signed in 2022 is now transitioning into the stages of implementation and expanded local production, signaling that this cooperation has moved beyond mere declarations and into the realm of concrete execution.

What is more significant than the sheer scale of these contracts is the "institutionalized trust" forged in the process. What Poland required was not just hardware, but a partner with the industrial capacity to respond rapidly to security anxieties, the operational reliability to meet strict delivery timelines, and an industrial foundation capable of sustaining a long-term alliance. South Korea proved to be one of the few partners capable of meeting these demands realistically. Consequently, defense has become more than an export commodity; it has become a conduit for deepening bilateral trust.

This trust is already permeating the broader manufacturing ecosystem. Poland has established itself as the European hub for the South Korean battery industry. Major players like LG Energy Solution and SK Nexilis are deeply integrated into the European supply chain via Poland. They are joined by a massive influx of Korean firms specializing in automotive parts, battery materials, logistics and equipment. Today, South Korea stands as the top non-EU investor in Poland. Poland is no longer just a destination for sales; it has become a critical strategic base underpinning the European production strategies of Korean corporations. The two nations are evolving from a buyer-seller relationship into investment partners co-architecting global supply chains.

The numbers tell a compelling story. South Korea’s exports to Poland surged from $2.8 billion in 2015 to $8.91 billion in 2024. Poland can no longer be described simply as the "factory of Eastern Europe." It is a strategic focal point where security, industry, energy and reconstruction needs intersect. As a security partner on NATO’s eastern flank and a gateway to the European industrial network and the future reconstruction of Ukraine, Poland’s significance to South Korea continues to grow.

Of course, high expectations must not outpace reality. While Korea has consistently pursued cooperation in nuclear energy, it lost the bid for Poland's first nuclear power plant to the US firm Westinghouse. The competitive landscape for the subsequent public-private nuclear project in Patnow remains fluid. However, the energy security crisis triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East may yet create favorable conditions for South Korea’s participation in nuclear construction. One thing is certain: the door to cooperation opened by the defense sector is widening to include energy, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.

For South Korea, Poland represents more than a security partner — it is a bridgehead for its European strategy. For Poland, South Korea has the opportunity to prove it is not a short-term supplier, but a long-term partner capable of navigating an era of profound uncertainty together. This is precisely why the summit between Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Lee Jae Myung carries such strategic weight.

Ryu Kwon-ha is a policy advisory member for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also serves as a European specialist auditor of the Honorary Consular Corps in Korea. He previously served as the president of the Korea Foreign Language Newspapers Association. The views expressed here are his own. -- Ed.