Daewoo XK9
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Barrel
- 220 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.90 kg
- Introduced
- 2003
About
What it is, and why it matters
The S&T Daewoo XK9 (also designated DS9A) was a South Korean 9x19mm submachine gun developed in the early 2000s as a domestic alternative to the Heckler & Koch MP5 then in service with ROK special operations forces. Built on a shortened K2 rifle action with a polymer skeletonized side-folding stock, the XK9 fires from a closed bolt at ~980 rpm with a four-position selector (safe, semi, two-round burst, full-auto). Despite trials, the XK9 was not adopted; the project was effectively cancelled.
The XK9 was the third Korean attempt to replace the MP5 in special-forces hands, and was specifically designed to mimic the MP5's manual of arms - yet despite competitive performance figures, ROK SOF resisted parting with their German classics, and the XK9 quietly disappeared.
Two prototypes are documented: the standard XK9 with 220 mm barrel and a shortened XK10 with a 134 mm barrel and 590 mm extended length. Both use the same 30-round magazines.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- S&T Motiv (formerly Daewoo Precision Industries)
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Country
- South Korea
- Status
- Prototype
- Produced
- 2003
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 220 mm
- Overall length
- 680 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.90 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 3.30 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 381 m/s
- Effective range
- 150 m
- Rate of fire
- 980 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Skeleton folding polymer stock
Four position fire selector- K2 rifle derived design
- Mp5 form factor
Ambidextrous controls
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 201 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 2.90 kg | 3.18 kg | Lighter than about 60% |
| Overall lengthAmong 200 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 680 mm | 723 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 202 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 220 mm | 213 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 204 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 30 | 32 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the Daewoo XK9
How much does the Daewoo XK9 weigh?
The Daewoo XK9 weighs 2.90 kg (6.39 lb) empty and 3.30 kg (7.28 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Daewoo XK9?
The Daewoo XK9 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Daewoo XK9 hold?
The Daewoo XK9 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Daewoo XK9?
The Daewoo XK9 is 680 mm (26.8 in) long overall, with a 220 mm (8.66 in) barrel.
Who makes the Daewoo XK9?
The Daewoo XK9 is made by S&T Motiv (formerly Daewoo Precision Industries) (South Korea). It was designed by S&T Daewoo (Daewoo Precision Industries).
When was the Daewoo XK9 introduced?
The Daewoo XK9 was introduced in 2003.
How does the Daewoo XK9 operate?
The Daewoo XK9 uses a blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
73%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/daewoo-xk9' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "daewoo-xk9", "name": "Daewoo XK9", "manufacturer": { "id": "snt-motiv", "name": "S&T Motiv (formerly Daewoo Precision Industries)", "countryCode": "KR", "foundedYear": 1981, "website": "https://www.sntmotiv.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:46", "version": "9db0b6bd86b8c9a1e686c470d1c6a21f813dddaec277f9be6ca224566aa0099d" }, "category": { "id": "submachine-gun", "name": "Submachine Gun", "description": "Automatic firearms chambered in pistol calibers" }, "country_of_origin": "KR", "year_introduced": 2003, "barrel_length_mm": 220, "weight_empty_g": 2900, "action_type": "blowback"}