SEOUL, May 02 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea's Hyundai Rotem has been chosen as the preferred bidder for a deal to supply wheeled armored vehicles to the Peruvian Army, the defense contractor said Thursday. If the contract is finalized, it will mark the first time the nation's infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) are exported to South America.
Under the agreement worth $60 million, Hyundai Rotem will provide 30 K808 IFVs, called Baekho (white tiger), via the Seoul-based trading company STX. The deal could be expanded to cover 120 more units.
The company, affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, was chosen as the preferred bidder on April 30 (local time) by FAME, a state-owned arms manufacturer in Peru.
The K808 IFV is an eight-wheeled armored vehicle weighing 20 tons and measuring 7.4 meters in length. It accommodates a two-person crew and ten infantry soldiers.
Powered by a 420-horsepower engine, the IFV boasts a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour on roads and 8 kilometers per hour in water. Armament options for the Baekho include a K4 high-speed automatic grenade launcher or a K6 12.7mm heavy machine gun.
Hyundai Rotem has delivered over 500 K808 IFVs to the South Korean Army and the fourth production batch slated for delivery in late 2024, according to the company.
It is the latest in a series of South Korea's arms exports deals. In mid-April, Peru chose HD Hyundai Heavy Industries as the preferred bidder for a $462.9 million contract to build four naval warships, representing South Korea's largest defense export to South America.
In July 2022, South Korea forged a supply deal with Poland to provide 648 K-9 howitzers, 980 K-2 tanks and 48 FA-50 jet fighters.
