Hyundai Rotem's K2 main battle tank has become the first Korean defense product to receive a NATO quality assurance certification — a key milestone that will strengthen the company's competitiveness in the global defense market, the defense firm said Tuesday. The company received the Allied Quality Assurance Publications (AQAP)-2110 certification, a NATO quality assurance standard for the design, development and manufacturing of defense equipment. AQAP-2110 is a key qualification for supplying defense equipment to NATO member states, as it verifies that products meet the alliance's stringent quality assurance requirements throughout the production process. The certification is widely regarded as an essential prerequisite for expanding defense exports to NATO countries and partner nations. The certification applies to Hyundai Rotem's armored vehicle lineup, including the K2 main battle tank, armored recovery vehicle and combat engineering vehicle. The company said it plans to broaden the scope of certification to additional defense products in line with market demand. With the certifica