A total of 2,383 K200 vehicles of all configurations were produced between 1985 and 2006
Currently, South Korea is gradually replacing the obsolete generations of armored vehicles with the more modern K21 IFV or K808, but until its completion, the K200 will still play an important role in the Korean Armed Forces. The K200 is designated as a South Korean armored personnel carrier, originally produced as a domestic replacement for older armored personnel carriers, such as the M113.
A total of 2,383 K200 vehicles of all configurations were produced between 1985 and 2006, among which are 111 K200A1 vehicles exported to Malaysia. The K200 project began in 1981 when the Republic of Korea Army issued a request for a new Korean Infantry Fighting Vehicle (KIFV) to meet future combat requirements. The K200 was designed to be an amphibious personnel carrier that could cross shallow rivers, based on the chassis of the American Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The vehicle itself was based on the M113 armored personnel carrier. The vehicle was developed to be more affordable, but not necessarily sacrificing capability, to gain an edge in cost-effectiveness.
K200 is armed with one 12.7 mm machine gun and one 7.62 mm machine gun. There were also some KIFV variants armed with a turret-mounted cannon. Korean armored vehicle was uparmored comparing with the M113 APC. However in terms of classification it is a well-armored APC rather than a true IFV. The KIFV has a crew of three and carries up to 9 troops, who enter and leave vehicle via the rear power operated ramp.
The K200 is highly modular, and its variants provide additional types of combat support such as air defense and vehicle recovery using specialized equipment. The APC can accommodate 12 people including one infantry squad, the driver, and gunners. In November 2015, Doosan and CMI Defence revealed they had cooperated to create the Cockerill Protected Weapon Station to increase the firepower of the K200.
