Bucharest: South Korean defense giant Hanwha Aerospace Co. announced a new partnership with a Romanian university aimed at expanding industry-academia collaborations within the Eastern European nation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed with the University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest and South Korea's Pusan National University. This trilateral agreement is designed to enhance Hanwha Aerospace's access to advanced defense technology and skilled talent, while also strengthening its localization strategy in Romania.
The MOU is part of Hanwha Aerospace's broader strategic initiatives following a significant contract with Romania, valued at 1.4 trillion won (approximately US$987.2 million), for the export of weapons and ammunition, including 54 K-9 self-propelled howitzers.
"Through this industry-academia collaboration, Hanwha Aerospace will foster local talent, establish a research and development center at the university, and build a manufacturing facility in Romania," stated Bae Jin-kyu, head of Hanwha Aerospace Romania.