British News Agency

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic met South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back in Zagreb.

Following the meeting, Croatia and South Korea signed three separate agreements concerning K239 Chunmoo multiple-launch rocket systems, a command-and-control system and defense cooperation.

In a social media post, Plenkovic said he received Ahn Gyu-back at Banski Dvori and stated that the defense partnership between the two countries was being developed.

The first of the signed agreements covers the delivery of K239 Chunmoo self-propelled rocket launcher systems together with accompanying vehicles and systems.

The second agreement concerns the delivery and integration of the command-and-control system, while a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation was also signed between the Croatian Ministry of Defense and the South Korean Ministry of Defense.

The Croatian government had previously decided to purchase 18 Chunmoo systems. The systems are expected to replace older rocket launcher systems and be used to develop long-range precision fire capabilities.

Plenkovic said he was pleased that Croatian company Končar would also participate in the Chunmoo project.

Plenkovic said the cooperation would strengthen links between the defense industries of Croatia, South Korea and Europe, adding that the Chunmoo system would provide rapid and precise strike capability at ranges from 30 kilometers to several hundred kilometers and enhance the firepower and deterrence capabilities of the Croatian Armed Forces.

Referring also to economic relations between the two countries, Plenkovic said trade between Croatia and South Korea reached approximately 140 million dollars in 2025, an increase of 52 percent.

Plenkovic said they aim to further increase Croatian exports to South Korea and Korean investments. He also thanked South Korea for its continued support for Croatia’s OECD accession process.

Plenkovic said the Croatian government would also increase defense investments, announcing that spending on core defense needs would be raised to 3 percent of GDP by 2030 and to at least 3.5 percent by 2035.

Plenkovic said the goal was to bring the total to 5 percent by adding another 1.5 percent for other security and defense-related expenditures, adding that these investments would strengthen Croatia’s defense capacity, its contribution to NATO’s collective defense and Europe’s security.

South Korea’s export of the Chunmoo system to Croatia is also regarded as an important step in defense industry cooperation between the two countries, as it marks Seoul’s first defense export to Croatia.