S. Korea's biggest defense exhibition opens, showcasing unmanned weapons
Baku, October 20, AZERTAC
South Korea kicked off the second session of its largest biennial aerospace and defense trade show Monday, featuring unmanned weapons systems using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, as it seeks to become the world's fourth-biggest defense exporter, according to Yonhap.
Following its first three-day public session last week at Seoul Air Base, the business-focused segment of the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025 opened for a five-day run at KINTEX in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul.
ADEX is South Korea's largest aerospace and defense trade exhibition, designed to boost export opportunities for domestic defense products and promote technology exchanges with global manufacturers.
A record 600 defense companies from 35 countries are participating in the biennial exhibition this year, up from 550 firms from 34 countries two years ago, according to organizers.
Reflecting the growing demand for South Korean arms products, the indoor exhibition space at KINTEX has been expanded 58 percent this year, compared with the 2023 event, and will house around 2,900 booths.
An exhibition area showcasing advanced technologies was established for the first time, showcasing a replica of a reusable launch vehicle, cutting-edge satellite communication and a real-life model of an advanced air mobility vehicle.
South Korean defense firms, such as Hanwha, Korea Aerospace Industries, LIG Nex1 and Hyundai Rotem, showcased an array of cutting-edge weapons systems, ranging from missiles to drones and combat systems that have been developed or are under development.
Weapons systems incorporating AI technologies took center stage at this year's ADEX as the country seeks to embrace more unmanned assets to counter a decline in troop resources and better respond to future warfare trends.
Also taking part in the exhibition were overseas defense firms such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Leonardo and WB Group. President Lee Jae Myung, delivering an address at the opening ceremony Monday, pledged bold investments in research and development (R&D) in the defense and aerospace industries by 2030 to support efforts to secure key technologies and develop advanced weapon systems.
"By 2030, we will inject an unprecedented level of budget that surpasses expectations into defense and aerospace R&D to secure core technologies and weapon systems for future defense and to build the capabilities necessary for independent space development," Lee said.
On the sidelines of the exhibition, Seoul's defense minister and senior military officials were set to hold bilateral meetings with their overseas counterparts to discuss ways to expand military and arms industry cooperation. South Korea has seen a sharp increase in overseas demand for its weapons systems following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, inking landmark deals on exports of self-propelled howitzers, tanks and multiple rocket launchers.
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