South Korean K1 Tank Developments

Surprised that they aren't upgunning to 120mm, to have all their tanks on the same ammunition.

I think the mention of the 105mm gun is just a basic reference to the K1 design in general and not necessarily the upgrade.

Unfortunately Army Recognition is citing Twitter user, Mason aka Haku, who is a terrible source for Asian defense news. He often takes defense updates from local sources, then adds his own spin to it, many of which are speculative. He's the same guy who said Poland and the UAE was buying the KF-21, as well as providing incorrect figures for proposed Korean aircraft carriers, that came out of nowhere.
People keep citing him and then it ends up becoming normalized.
 
I think the mention of the 105mm gun is just a basic reference to the K1 design in general and not necessarily the upgrade.

Unfortunately Army Recognition is citing Twitter user, Mason aka Haku, who is a terrible source for Asian defense news. He often takes defense updates from local sources, then adds his own spin to it, many of which are speculative. He's the same guy who said Poland and the UAE was buying the KF-21, as well as providing incorrect figures for proposed Korean aircraft carriers, that came out of nowhere.
People keep citing him and then it ends up becoming normalized.
That makes more sense.

Not that I think the RoKs really need the penetrating power of the 120mm, it's all about the logistical advantages of only having one ammunition caliber for their tanks.
 
A Korean source on the K1 upgrade

The Army Test Evaluation Team is currently conducting tests over the past 8 months to assess the performance of the K1E1 tank and its upgraded equipment in extreme cold conditions, considering potential field situations.

The K1E1 tank performance improvement project is a research and development initiative investing 27.5 billion won from 2021 to 2025 to enhance the performance of the currently deployed K1/K1E1 tanks in the military. The entire project duration extends until 2038, with the K1E1 being upgraded to the K1E2 level.

The performance improvement elements for the K1E1 tank upgrade (K1E2) include:

  1. Replacement with a new gunner's sight.
  2. Installation of positive pressure equipment for enhanced NBC protection.
  3. Installation of a cooling device.
  4. Installation of an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU).
After testing the prototype, the upgraded version of the K1E1 tank, designated as K1E2, is scheduled to be sequentially upgraded from K1/K1E1 tanks through a retrofit process starting in 2026.

Regrettably, the list does not include equipment to enhance defense against the strengthening North Korean tank forces and improve crew survivability. The Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) equipment is mentioned in Defense News as being installed during the performance upgrade of the K1A2 tank and the introduction of the new K3 tank

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This chart looks like its official and it would confirm that the E1 has the 105mm gun, although the A1 has the 120
 

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