According to L’Opinion on April 12, 2025, Morocco formally expressed interest in acquiring South Korea’s K2 Black Panther main battle tank. The announcement came during a visit by Moroccan Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, to Seoul, where he held high-level talks with South Korean officials, including Trade Minister An Deok-geun and Economic Diplomacy Coordinator Kim Hee-sang. According to an undisclosed source, Mezzour explicitly mentioned the K2 tank during meetings.
Should Morocco pursue procurement negotiations, it would become the first African country to formally express official interest in the K2 Black Panther.
The meetings also covered broader bilateral issues, such as the negotiation of a new Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the establishment of a Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF). The visit included a meeting with Hyundai Rotem, the K2’s manufacturer, where Mezzour discussed both industrial and defense-related cooperation. This marks the first time Morocco’s interest in the K2 seems to have been officially acknowledged in a South Korean publication.
The K2 was one of three South Korean defense systems identified by Morocco during the April 2025 meetings. Alongside the tank, Mezzour expressed interest in the KSS-III diesel-electric submarine and the Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile system. The mention of these three platforms indicates a widening of Morocco’s defense procurement options and a diversification of its potential suppliers. The visit also coincided with Morocco’s efforts to strengthen economic ties with South Korea, and the defense discussions took place within this broader strategic framework. Hyundai Rotem, which manufactures both the K2 and civilian rail vehicles, signed a $1.5 billion contract with Morocco’s state-owned railway company ONCF in February 2025 to deliver 168 double-decker electric trainsets. This civilian agreement may provide a platform for deeper defense cooperation.