SEOUL-- A biennial defense exhibition will open in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, next week to showcase cutting-edge military hardware both at home and abroad, its organizers said Tuesday.
The Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2021 is set to begin its five-day run Tuesday at Seoul Air Base, with some 440 defense and other companies from 28 countries presenting their products, the organizers said.
Among the items on display will be large hydrogen-fuel drones, virtual reality-based training systems, laser weapons systems, multi-purpose unmanned vehicles, as well as dozens of military aircraft, such as FA-50 fighters.
Seoul's defense ministry will set up a promotional facility to showcase various unmanned military systems for aerial, ground and maritime operations, which are produced domestically and used by South Korea's armed forces.
Some 300 top military and defense officials from 45 countries, including defense ministers, will visit South Korea during the exhibition period, the officials said.
Organizers said thorough anti-virus measures will be in place, such as allowing only those who are fully vaccinated or have negative COVID-19 tests to enter the exhibition site and checking body temperatures of all visitors twice.
From Tuesday to Friday, the exhibition is open for those in industrial, research, academic and military fields. The general public can visit the exhibition Saturday.
The exhibition was first launched in 1996 as the Seoul Air Show with an aim to promote the country's defense firms, as well as to enhance exchanges of global technologies. It was expanded to incorporate ground military assets in 2009.
Source: Yonhap News Agency