Hanwha Aerospace has exported 18 units of South Korea's homegrown Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system to Croatia.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on the 10th (local time) that a contract signing ceremony for the Chunmoo export was held between Hanwha Aerospace and the Croatian Ministry of Defense in Zagreb, Croatia.

The value of the export contract is approximately 640 billion won (approx. 410 million euros) based on the order amount.

With this agreement, Croatia becomes the fourth European buyer of the system, following Poland, Estonia, and Norway.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have also introduced Chunmoo, but have not officially disclosed their acquisitions due to surrounding geopolitical situations.

This Croatian Chunmoo contract marks the first large-scale defense cooperation between South Korea and Croatia.

DAPA stated that it expects this contract to serve as an opportunity to expand defense cooperation between the two countries beyond individual weapons system exports into long-term and strategic cooperation, including local industrial partnership and follow-on logistics support.

The Chunmoo contract signing ceremony, hosted by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, was attended by South Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back and DAPA Minister Lee Yong-chul.

In his congratulatory remarks, Minister Ahn emphasized, "Chunmoo will dramatically enhance Croatia's defense capabilities, serving as an occasion to expand and deepen bilateral cooperation into the defense and security domains."

Minister Lee stated, "This Croatian Chunmoo contract is the starting point and an important milestone to kick off full-fledged defense cooperation between South Korea and Croatia. The government will continue to closely cooperate with the defense industry to further solidify trust with Croatia and actively support the expansion of defense cooperation."

Croatian state broadcaster HRT reported that Prime Minister Plenković said, "With the acquisition of this weapons system, Croatia gains new capabilities it did not possess in the past," adding, "The K-239 Chunmoo will complement the previously contracted High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) system, improve the range and firepower of the Croatian Armed Forces, diversify procurement channels, and further strengthen deterrence."

Prime Minister Plenković stated, "I believe this system, along with the Rafale fighter jets, will become the core and most powerful capability of our military."

HRT also reported that Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ivan Anušić praised the South Korean defense industry for its reasonable prices, top-tier quality, and highly rapid delivery capabilities.

Developed to counter North Korea's multiple rocket launchers and long-range artillery threats in the event of a contingency on the Korean Peninsula, Chunmoo has been deployed by the South Korean military since 2015. Its name carries the meaning of "covering the sky with rockets."

It is also nicknamed "steel rain" because it pours down rockets like rain.

Chunmoo can fire three types of rockets: 130㎜ (maximum range of approx. 36㎞), 239㎜ (approx. 80㎞), and 600㎜ (approx. 290㎞). Each launcher carries 40 rounds of 130㎜, 12 rounds of 239㎜, or 2 rounds of 600㎜ rockets.

Meanwhile, marking the export contract signing, Minister Ahn and Minister Anušić met and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation between the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia.

In accordance with the MOU, the defense authorities of both nations agreed to regularly hold working-level defense policy consultations to continuously discuss specific defense cooperation measures.

(Photo provided by the ROK Army, Yonhap News)