The gathering also welcomed officials from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Berlin and South Korea’s Defense Agency for Technology and Quality. It served as a platform to discuss cooperation in localised manufacturing, joint research and development, and long-term industrial investment in Germany.
“This marks a significant milestone in our journey to deepen strategic partnerships and strengthen collaboration with Germany’s dynamic defence sector,” said Mr Kyounghoon Kang, Senior Vice President and Head of Germany Business at Hanwha Aerospace HQ. “Today’s Industry Day is a key step toward building sustainable, mutually beneficial industrial ties.”
Hanwha currently maintains partnerships with over 60 German suppliers across the defence, shipbuilding, and industrial sectors, with annual procurement exceeding €100 million. The company plans to expand this network further to explore wider opportunities for collaboration.
As part of its long-term strategy, Hanwha shared its vision to establish a manufacturing facility in Eastern Germany. This planned investment is expected to create high-quality jobs and boost the local economy through localised production and integrated supply chains.
Initial areas of cooperation will include precision-guided missiles and ammunition, with the potential to extend into aerospace, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and maritime defence. Hanwha’s capabilities in rapid delivery, mass production, and localisation position it as a strong partner for Germany’s defence modernisation.
“As Hanwha Aerospace expands its presence across Europe, we see significant potential to localise advanced defence capabilities in close partnership with Germany’s mature industrial base,” said Mr Peter Bae, Executive Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace Europe. “This aligns with our broader commitment to strengthening NATO’s strategic autonomy by building sustainable supply chains across key allied nations.”
“The collaboration between technology-driven nations like Germany and South Korea offers a unique opportunity to generate high-impact innovation and build a more resilient, future-ready defence ecosystem—amplifying mutual strengths through strategic synergy,” Mr Bae added.
Hanwha’s proposed investment supports Germany’s strategic goal of maintaining an independent and resilient defence manufacturing base. As a core entity of Hanwha Group, Hanwha Aerospace is committing over USD 8 billion globally in the coming years to drive localisation, technology transfer, and sustainable partnerships.
