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South Korea has inaugurated its biggest arms fair ever, showcasing advanced unmanned and artificial intelligence-enhanced weapons ranging from howitzers to suicide drones.
The event highlights Seoul’s strategic effort to strengthen its military and boost global defense sales. A record 600 companies from 35 countries are participating in the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025, organizers confirmed.
ADEX began with a three-day public air show at an air base, including flights of its new KF-21 fighter jet. Next week, these public demonstrations will be followed by business exhibitions in a huge convention center.
Earlier this month, South Korean President lee jae myung Said the country’s defense budget for next year will rise 8.2% to 66.3 trillion won ($47.1 billion) as it faces greater tensions around the region and nuclear-armed North Korea.
Foreign dignitaries were invited to Pyongyang in early October to tour North Korea’s weapons display, which included drones and nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, followed by a grand military parade.
Arms have become one of South Korea’s fastest-growing exports, as it has signed billion-dollar deals to sell everything from howitzers and ammunition to missiles and warships around the world.
At this year’s ADEX, Hanwha Aerospace said it will unveil next-generation versions of its popular self-propelled K9 howitzer that uses automation and AI to reduce or eliminate the need for a crew.
Additionally, the company said it will demonstrate its L-PGW, a missile-launched roving weapon – also known as a suicide drone – that can circle an area before using AI to identify and destroy a target.
Unmanned weapons and AI will provide greater capabilities and help South Korea maintain its security despite a declining population, which will reduce the number of available troops, Hanwha said in a statement.
Minister of Defense Acquisition Program Administration Seok Jong-gun told parliament on Friday that his focus includes developing and modernizing manned and unmanned weapon systems while expanding its defense export markets in cooperation with the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia and others.
“We will try to enter the global supply chain by increasing cooperation with the US in defense shipbuilding,” he said.
South Korea’s shipbuilding cooperation with the US has become a point of contention with China, which earlier this week unveiled sanctions on Hanwha Ocean’s US-linked affiliates.