SEOUL, Republic of Korea — September 2026 — Industrial cooperation is becoming a more visible feature of South Korea’s overseas defense activity, as local production, technology transfer, sustainment and supply-chain participation accompany major export programs in Europe. The trend is also reflected in policy measures introduced by Seoul and will form part of the business context surrounding K-DEX 2026 this December.
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration has moved this year to make export and technology-transfer procedures more responsive to the expansion and diversification of Korean defense sales. In June, DAPA revised export-related regulations to streamline technology-transfer contract procedures and widen exemptions covering the export approval of maintenance spare parts.
The agency has also made international defense cooperation and export support a priority for the second half of 2026, with measures aimed at strengthening Korea’s defense-industrial competitiveness, expanding overseas participation and supporting access to international defense supply chains.
Recent programs in Poland and Romania provide practical examples of how those industrial relationships can develop alongside equipment deliveries.
In Poland, a second executive contract signed with Hyundai Rotem in August 2025 covers 180 additional K2 main battle tanks, including 64 in the K2PL configuration. Under the agreement, 61 K2PL tanks are to be produced by Bumar-Łabędy in Gliwice, while the first three will be manufactured in South Korea for testing. The program also includes technology transfer and the development of domestic production, service and maintenance capabilities.
Romania is building a comparable industrial component around its K9 self-propelled howitzer program. Hanwha Aerospace broke ground in February 2026 on its first European production facility in Petrești, Dâmbovița County. The site will initially support local production of the K9 and K10 ammunition resupply vehicle, with assembly, integration, testing and lifecycle-support capabilities. Hanwha has said it is targeting localization of up to 80% through Romanian industry participation.
The Polish and Romanian projects follow different structures, but both extend cooperation beyond the delivery of completed systems. Production, maintenance, technology transfer and participation by local industry have become part of the wider program architecture.
That environment provides the backdrop for K-DEX 2026, which will bring Korean and international defense companies together with military, government and procurement stakeholders from December 8 to 11 at KINTEX Exhibition Center 2 in Goyang, Republic of Korea.
K-DEX 2026 will be the first edition held following the integration of KADEX and DX KOREA into a single international ground defense exhibition. Exhibitor applications have exceeded 1,700 booths, while national pavilions from 10 countries — the United States, India, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Portugal and Saudi Arabia — have been confirmed.
The organizers are placing particular emphasis on business engagement between Korean and overseas participants. B2B and G2B meetings will run alongside engagement involving official military and government delegations, procurement stakeholders, defense attachés and industry representatives.
For overseas companies, the exhibition is intended to provide access to Korean manufacturers, technology partners and relevant institutional stakeholders. Korean participants, in turn, will be able to explore overseas procurement requirements, supply-chain opportunities and potential industrial partnerships.
Country-level engagement will also be supported through the National Defense Briefing. Participating countries will be able to present national defense strategies, weapons requirements and industry capabilities, giving companies additional visibility into procurement priorities and possible areas of cooperation.
The combination of industrial policy, overseas production programs and structured business engagement gives K-DEX a broader role than product display alone. The exhibition is being positioned as a venue where companies can discuss how future defense programs may be produced, supported and integrated into national and international supply chains.
As Korean defense companies expand their overseas activities and international partners seek deeper engagement with Korea’s defense-industrial base, K-DEX 2026 aims to provide a practical setting for developing new business, supply-chain and industrial cooperation opportunities.
