Hanwha Systems invested about 280 billion won in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, to complete an advanced production facility that brings together next-generation defense and electronic equipment technologies.
Hanwha Systems said on the 25th that it held a completion ceremony for its new business site in Gumi. The new business site measures 89,000㎡ (about 27,000 pyeong), more than twice the size of the existing 45,000㎡ (about 13,630 pyeong) business site.
A Hanwha Systems official said, "At the new business site, we will respond to domestic force integration projects for self-reliant national defense, and, in line with growing global security demand, carry out technology development and expand production," adding, "With production lines that concentrate Hanwha Systems' core technologies and state-of-the-art facilities, the new business site will further strengthen its competitiveness as 'Korea's forward base for defense industry exports' and a 'technology innovation hub.'"
The most eye-catching area at the new business site is the clean room spanning 1,500 pyeong. It is the largest in the domestic defense industry and will produce electro-optical products and core radar components used in various weapon systems.
The Marine Research Institute, which created the combat management system (CMS) that has been supplied to most Republic of Korea Navy vessels for more than 40 years, will also continue its research here. Based on the advancement of intelligent combat systems featuring artificial intelligence (AI), it will serve as a "technology hub" developing future maritime power solutions such as unmanned warships with automatic engagement, autonomous navigation, and intelligent propulsion control, and motherships for unmanned systems.
The multifunction radar (MFR) and combat systems to be produced at the new business site are Hanwha Systems' flagship export items. Hanwha Systems exported Cheongung-II multifunction radars (MFR) worth trillions of won to the United Arab Emirates in 2022, Saudi Arabia last year, and Iraq this year, and exported an all-domestic combat system for installation on 13 Navy ships to the Philippines.
In the approximately 700-pyeong materials management room, which has adopted logistics robots and an automation system, the company plans to systematically manage more than 20,000 types of raw materials and advanced defense equipment to maintain optimal materials conditions. It also maximized production stability and logistics efficiency through efficient supply.
Son Jae-il, CEO of Hanwha Systems, said, "The new Gumi business site is not simply an expanded production plant but will establish itself as a 'strategic base' that supports the sustainable growth of K-defense," adding, "Based on our cutting-edge defense manufacturing capabilities, we will secure world-class quality and productivity and help further elevate the standing of the Republic of Korea's defense industry in the global market."