SEOUL – South Korea kicked off its largest-ever arms fair on Friday, the Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2025, showcasing new unmanned and AI-enhanced weapons ranging from self-propelled howitzers to suicide drones.
The three-day public air show features flights by the newly developed KF-21 fighter jet, while next week’s business exhibitions will allow 600 companies from 35 countries to display the latest defence technologies.
President Lee Jae Myung recently announced that South Korea’s defence budget for 2026 will rise 8.2% to 66.3 trillion won ($47.1 billion) amid regional tensions and a nuclear-armed North Korea. Earlier this month, foreign dignitaries visited North Korea’s arms exhibition, which displayed drones and nuclear-capable ballistic missiles.
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Hanwha Aerospace highlighted next-generation versions of its self-propelled K9 howitzer, which use AI and automation to reduce crew requirements, along with its L-PGW missile-launched loitering munition, capable of autonomously identifying and destroying targets.
Unmanned and AI-powered systems aim to enhance South Korea’s defence capabilities despite a shrinking population that limits available soldiers, the company said.
Seok Jong-gun, minister for the Defence Acquisition Programme Administration, told parliament the country is focused on modernising manned and unmanned weapons systems while expanding global defence exports in cooperation with the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and others.
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South Korea’s collaboration with the US in defence shipbuilding has also sparked tensions with China, which recently imposed sanctions on Hanwha Ocean’s US-linked affiliates.
ADEX 2025 underscores South Korea’s strategy to strengthen military capabilities at home while becoming a key player in the global arms market.