After it sank during a river-crossing training session
in July, killing one solider, the domestically-built K-21,
which was touted as a high-tech amphibious infantry fighting
vehicle, was found to have a series of design faults.
“In order to address problems, we have conducted
tests on it four times and fixed all the defects that
the inspection team at the Ministry of National Defense
pointed out,” the official at the Defense Acquisition
Program Administration said, requesting anonymity.
“We will address complaints raised by field units
this month and begin manufacturing component parts for
it. In March, a final test on it will be conducted and
the deployment will resume in April.”
The development of the 25-ton K-21, which began in December
1999, was completed in July 2007, at a cost of 91 billion
won ($81.8 million). The armored vehicle was intended
to be a major part of the nation’s forces in any
future ground battles.
After several months of investigation to find the cause
of the sinking last year, the military announced that
the vehicle had defects in its design that made it difficult
to keep its balance in the water without enough troops
aboard it.
“We tested the vehicle for its amphibious operation
both without people inside it and with people aboard it.
We fixed the problems stemming from weak buoyancy in its
front,” another DAPA official said, refusing to
be named.
The military plans to deploy some 100 K-21 vehicles this
year, including 50 vehicles whose deployment was suspended
last year after the July sinking. The military is also
considering legal procedures for those responsible for
the defects in the vehicle.
