Gyeongsangnam-do Sees 26 Trillion Won in Contract Consultations at First Aerospace and Defense Exhibition at Sacheon Airshow

At the Aerospace and Defense Industry Exhibition (GADEX), held for the first time at this year's Sacheon Airshow by Gyeongsangnam-do, domestic and international organizations and companies showed strong interest in the province's aerospace and defense industries, leading to large-scale contract consultations and signed agreements.

Gyeongsangnam-do announced on October 29 that it held consultations on 756 prospective contracts worth a total of $19.9 billion, or approximately 26 trillion won, at the 2026 Sacheon Airshow Aerospace and Defense Industry Exhibition, held at Sacheon Airfield from October 22 to 25.

Park Wansu, governor of Gyeongsangnam-do (center, outside the safety line), and Sacheon Mayor Park Dongsik (left) tour the exhibition hall at the 2026 Sacheon Airshow Aerospace and Defense Industry Exhibition. [Photo courtesy of Gyeongsangnam-do]

The 89 companies operating booths at the exhibition held consultations on 371 prospective contracts worth $19.8 billion, while 60 companies at the export consultation venue held consultations on 385 prospective contracts worth $100 million.

Seven contracts were concluded at the event, and nine companies signed 17 memoranda of understanding (MOUs).

The exhibition featured key aircraft such as the KF-21 and FA-50 from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI); an artificial intelligence (AI)-based next-generation future air combat system (NACS); advanced aircraft engines for next-generation fighter jets and short-takeoff-and-landing unmanned aircraft from Hanwha Aerospace; and a hypersonic dual ramjet engine and multipurpose unmanned vehicles from Hyundai Rotem.

A total of 130 companies and organizations participated, including 108 from South Korea and 22 from overseas. Around 76,000 people visited, including approximately 9,000 trade visitors.

A 90-member delegation from overseas air forces also attended, including 18 air force commanders—eight chiefs of staff and 10 representatives of chiefs of staff—from 17 countries, including the United States, Japan, Poland, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

The World Air Chiefs Conference is underway at the 2026 Sacheon Airshow Aerospace and Defense Industry Exhibition. [Photo courtesy of Gyeongsangnam-do]

Events during the exhibition included bilateral talks between air force commanders from various countries, the World Air Force Commanders' Conference, government-to-business (G2B) meetings between the military and companies, and a welcome banquet for overseas air force delegations hosted by the provincial governor.

In particular, during bilateral talks between the South Korean and U.S. air force chiefs of staff, the two sides signed a letter of intent (LOI) on cooperation in autonomous collaboration platforms and agreed to strengthen cooperation to advance operational concepts and interoperability for manned-unmanned teaming systems.

The World Air Force Commanders' Conference brought together delegations from 15 countries and eight domestic and international defense companies, including Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Hanwha Aerospace, and Safran. They discussed defense cooperation under the theme "The Strategic Evolution of AI-Based Aerospace Power and the Aerospace and Defense Industry."

At a dinner for foreign air force delegations at the 2026 Sacheon Airshow Aerospace and Defense Industry Exhibition, Gyeongsangnam-do Governor Park Wan-su (left) exchanges business cards with a Polish Air Force official. [Photo provided by Gyeongsangnam-do]

At the conference, South Korea's Air Force Chief of Staff outlined directions for developing the future air force in the age of artificial intelligence, while defense companies, including KAI, shared their approaches to technology development for the future aerospace and defense industry, including AI-based manned-unmanned teaming systems.

At the G2B (government-to-business) meetings, domestic defense companies introduced their technologies and products directly to air force officials from various countries, highlighting the strengths of Korean aircraft and defense products and expanding opportunities for cooperation and exports.

At the welcome banquet for overseas air force delegations hosted by the provincial governor, air force commanders from various countries and representatives of major domestic and international defense companies were welcomed. Guests received Tongyeong mother-of-pearl lacquerware as commemorative gifts, showcasing the beauty and value of Korean culture.

Gyeongsangnam-do said the exhibition expanded opportunities for domestic aerospace and defense companies to develop overseas markets and collaborate toward entering global supply chains.

The province added that the event demonstrated the potential for the existing airshow to develop into an aerospace and defense business event combining an industry exhibition, export consultations, and international cooperation.

Attendees pose for a commemorative photo at a welcome dinner hosted by the governor of Gyeongsangnam-do for overseas air force delegations during the 2026 Sacheon Airshow and Space and Aerospace Defense Industry Exhibition. [Photo provided by Gyeongsangnam-do]

The province plans to support efforts to turn the contract consultations and business collaborations at the event into actual export deals, and to strengthen GADEX's international competitiveness by expanding participation by overseas companies and buyers.

Lee Mihwa, director of the Industrial Bureau, said, "At the first Aerospace and Defense Industry Exhibition held this year, we achieved tangible results, including large-scale contract consultations and signed agreements, and expanded opportunities for international defense cooperation. We will support efforts to turn these results into actual exports and contracts for companies in the province and develop GADEX into a world-class aerospace and defense business platform."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.