[비즈한국] On September 10, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Hanwha Aerospace signed a contract in Zagreb with the Croatian Ministry of Defense to export 18 units of the K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher system. Excluding value-added tax, the order is worth approximately 435.2 million euros (about 640 billion won). Deliveries are scheduled from 2026 to 2029, with 85% of the volume concentrated in 2028. This makes Croatia the fourth European nation to adopt the Chunmoo, following Poland, Estonia, and Norway, and marks the first large-scale weapons deal between the South Korean defense industry and Croatia.
This contract is particularly noteworthy because Croatia had already decided to purchase 8 units of the American HIMARS rocket system before signing the additional deal for Chunmoo. Why would Croatia order the same type of long-range rocket artillery, having already placed an order in December 2024 for HIMARS and 394 rounds of 80km-range rockets at a cost of approximately 351 million dollars (about 480 billion won)? The background lies in the issues of "supply instability" and "export approval" associated with U.S.-made weapons.
While the U.S. has developed the 500km-range PrSM missile for HIMARS, strict export approval criteria make it difficult for Croatia to purchase them. Furthermore, in the aftermath of the Iran war, U.S. inventories of guided missiles have been depleted, making delivery schedules for standard guided rocket versions unstable. In contrast, the Chunmoo is equipped with two launch pods, capable of carrying up to 12 GCR-80 239mm guided rockets, providing double the firepower of the HIMARS (6 rounds).
Moreover, it can supply the 160km-range CTM-160 guided rocket and the 290km-range CTM-290 tactical ballistic missile, offering Croatia stronger firepower and longer-range strike capabilities than the HIMARS. In fact, Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anušić explained that by purchasing the Chunmoo, Croatia now possesses a weapon system with a range exceeding 300km, extendable up to 500km, with a 607mm caliber.
For these reasons, Croatia chose a "dual-source" strategy, purchasing multiple rocket launchers from both the U.S. and South Korea. They are building a long-range rocket force of 26 launchers, securing precision strike capabilities via HIMARS and massive firepower and ammunition flexibility via Chunmoo. It is a strategy to diversify supply chains rather than relying on a single platform. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković described this procurement as "the largest and most important investment since the acquisition of Rafale fighter jets," explaining that the nation will, for the first time, have the ability to strike distant targets quickly and precisely.
The Powder Keg of the Balkans: An Arms Race Re-ignited
Behind the choice of Chunmoo lies the security anxiety faced by Croatia. With neighboring Serbia introducing Israel's PULS multiple rocket system, precision strike missiles with a range of over 300km, and even Chinese systems, the arms race in the Balkan Peninsula is accelerating. Consequently, Croatia has decided to raise its defense budget from 2.01% of its GDP in 2025 to 2.5% in 2027, 3% in 2030, and 5% in 2032, and has reinstated mandatory military service 18 years after abolishing it in 2008.
According to the Croatian military's modernization plan, the nation is upgrading 12 French Rafale jets to the F4 standard and has consecutively introduced 44 German Leopard 2A8 tanks, 18 French CAESAR MK2 self-propelled howitzers, 420 Czech Tatra trucks, and American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles. This modernization package alone is worth approximately 1.9 billion euros (about 2.9 trillion won), supported by 1.7 billion euros in long-term low-interest loans through the European Union's SAFE mechanism. It is as if the "firepower rebuilding" that occurred across Europe after the Ukraine war has spread to the Balkans, and the Chunmoo has inserted itself into Croatia's arms list, otherwise dominated by traditional European defense powerhouses.
What K-Defense Weapon System to Challenge Next?
With Croatia feeling insecure and striving for military modernization, there is reason to expect further demand for South Korea's K-Defense. The most certain path lies in follow-up orders for Chunmoo units and ammunition. Additional purchases of CTM-290 tactical ballistic missiles and 607mm-class long-range missiles, as well as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) contracts, are expected to follow naturally. Other European Chunmoo buyers like Poland, Norway, and Estonia are following a similar trend.
We should also keep an eye on Croatia's next weapon system acquisition projects. Local media reports indicate that Croatia is currently planning to acquire a medium-range air defense system worth 500 to 600 million euros and two patrol ships worth about 1 billion euros, with contractor selection expected to conclude within the next year. Our Cheongung-II (KM-SAM) is certainly a viable candidate for the medium-range air defense system.
Croatia has focused solely on short-range air defense until now, but following the Ukraine war and the U.S.-Iran conflict, every country in the world now wants a complex air defense system capable of countering both drones and ballistic missiles simultaneously, rather than simple air defense missiles. Reportedly, Croatia is already in discussions with the manufacturer of the Cheongung-II, LIG D&A (formerly LIG Nex1), and its combat use in the recent Iran war is expected to help with exports.
Next, other K-Defense products that could be exported to Croatia include the K9MH wheeled self-propelled howitzer, which recently achieved a successful export to the U.S., and the 'Cheongung' counter-battery radar. Although Croatia already possesses French CAESAR howitzers, the K9MH has a range advantage of over 20% due to its ability to operate various guided shells. Unlike the manual loading system of the CAESAR, the K9MH adopts a fully automated loading system, allowing for a firing rate of up to 9 rounds per minute—nearly three times the firepower of the CAESAR. Furthermore, since they currently lack counter-battery radars to identify enemy artillery positions, exporting a package of self-propelled howitzers and counter-battery radars is worth considering.
Of course, we must look at this soberly. Croatia's modernization has traditionally been filled with "Western weapons" centered on Germany, France, and the U.S. A single Chunmoo deal cannot overturn this structure overnight. For South Korean products to establish a firm foothold in the Balkans, the "fulfillment of promises"—specifically the clean delivery of the Chunmoo in 2028 as scheduled and the stable provision of ammunition and maintenance—must first be proven. Just as they opened the door with delivery schedules and price, they must now guard that door with trust.
It is a clear achievement that K-Defense has expanded its territory in Europe beyond Poland and Romania into the Balkan Peninsula. Creating an ecosystem where we can sell not just one Chunmoo unit, but also the ammunition, maintenance, and follow-up systems that come with it, will be the true key to the Croatian market.