Kia Motors Awarded $1.4Billion Trucks Contract from South Korean Army

Kia Motors signed a contract Monday to supply next-generation tactical trucks (medium-sized standard vehicles) worth ₩1.7 trillion ($1.4 billion) with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army Headquarters.

These trucks are based on Hyundai Pavise vehicle and come in 5 tons and 2.5 tons variants. Approximately 10,000 trucks will be acquired to replace the army’s existing K511 (KM250) and K711 (KM500) trucks, the ROK Army announced on its social media page.

Delivery will start in 2024. It is not stated by when the 10,000 trucks target would be achieved.

In October 2019, the ROK Army Headquarters shortlisted Kia Motors and Hanwha Defense, as the final bidders; it selected Kia Motors through internal evaluation, local media, wowtv.co.kr reported.

Hanwha Defense challenged the selection in court claiming that evaluation was not properly conducted, but the court dismissed the application.

A Kia Motors official told wowtv, "Kia Motors is currently selected and has entered into a contract with the Army Headquarters to proceed with the business."

Hanwha Defense has appealed and a second provisional disposition is pending, the report said. However, an Army source told wowtv, "the contract between Kia Motors and the Army was signed because the contract could not not delayed, and the business is separate from the lawsuit."

A bullet-proof version of the medium-sized standard vehicle is planned to transport troops. The up-armoured  version is reported  to be able to withstand 7.62 mm rounds  besides low-grade IEDs. Kia has plans to offer the truck for exports after meeting the requirements of the ROK Army.