Beyond troops, it could also open up Ukraine to South Korea’s arms market. South Korea makes a ton of artillery pieces that it doesn’t sell on the international market. Becoming a cobelligerent with Ukraine could change that.
They also make this thing, which would be GREAT in the Ukrainian theatre, seeing as it’s only a few tons heavier than a T-90, but chock full of essentially current NATO-spec equipment. Also, Poland signed a deal for an absolute SHITLOAD of them (~1000 iirc - yes, a thousand), with local production options, so this would not only be an incredible way to get actual battlefield testing done with them, but also give the Korean arms industry a major cred boost. Not to mention, I would be unsurprised if Ukraine eventually figures out a joint production deal with South Korea, especially if the tanks perform well.
@sugar_in_your_tea@gravitas_deficiency on the sea. They could get it through the Pacific, then Atlantic through the Panama Straight and then on rail in Europe. Or, since the ice cap is melting, they could be shipping upwards through the Arctic Ocean.
Oh shit.
Beyond troops, it could also open up Ukraine to South Korea’s arms market. South Korea makes a ton of artillery pieces that it doesn’t sell on the international market. Becoming a cobelligerent with Ukraine could change that.
They also make this thing, which would be GREAT in the Ukrainian theatre, seeing as it’s only a few tons heavier than a T-90, but chock full of essentially current NATO-spec equipment. Also, Poland signed a deal for an absolute SHITLOAD of them (~1000 iirc - yes, a thousand), with local production options, so this would not only be an incredible way to get actual battlefield testing done with them, but also give the Korean arms industry a major cred boost. Not to mention, I would be unsurprised if Ukraine eventually figures out a joint production deal with South Korea, especially if the tanks perform well.
How would they get it there though? They’d have to get across China and Russian airspace, or go a long way around.
Nobody is airlifting a tank when introducing it to the army. They will ship it to Europe and then move it through Poland, just like everything else.
@sugar_in_your_tea @gravitas_deficiency on the sea. They could get it through the Pacific, then Atlantic through the Panama Straight and then on rail in Europe. Or, since the ice cap is melting, they could be shipping upwards through the Arctic Ocean.
@gravitas_deficiency Both Poland and Romania will buy it, so South Korea will become a hell of a supplier on the NATO’s eastern flank. We are also getting 54 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers from them.
@HobbitFoot