Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters). South Korea’s biennial defense fair will be held in Seoul next week. This comes just days after North Korea hosted a very unusual military exhibit that some analysts believe may have been partly aimed to steal thunder from Seoul, amid a rising arms race.

This event highlights the recent progress made by both Koreas in expanding their military capacities, including some mirror-image moves.

Cho Jin-soo was the former president of Korea Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences. He stated, “North Korea must have deliberately timed their defense exhibition this week to gain momentum from the international comunity ahead of South Korea’s scheduled show for selling their weapons systems elsewhere.” They’re delivering a message about “forget me not” by piggybacking upon the South in order to sell their weapons.’”

Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) has been held every two years since 2009, in contrast to North Korea’s, which was not announced in advance.

Joost Oliemans, an expert on North Korean military capability, said that there are likely to have been many factors that led to this incident.

Kim Jong Un opened the exhibition by pointing to South Korea’s recent military buildup, as an example of North Korea justifying its military.

A TALE OF 2 ARMS FAIRS

Although they appear very similar in appearance and timing, these events are not the same and neither Korea and Japan compete for the same customers.

Officials from all over the country visited North Korea’s event, although they were not able to visit major foreign delegations.

Over the past few years, a United Nations panel monitoring international sanctions accused North Korea that it continues to export weapons and engage in military cooperation and coordination with countries such Syria and Myanmar.

The North Korean display is decorated with Kim paintings and other Kim images. It’s also about idolizing Kim as well as showing new weapons. Rachel Minyoung Lee from the 38 North Project, which monitors North Korea, stated that the show was also filled with Kim pictures.

South Korea says ADEX will host 440 companies and representatives from 27 countries. According to organizers, about 300 defense and military officials, from 45 countries including defence ministers are expected, according to the event’s organizers.

South Korea’s most recent defense technology will be displayed, which includes hydrogen-fueled drones as well as virtual reality-based learning systems, laser weapons and multi-purpose unmanned vehicle.

An aviation expert familiar with the plans said that the KF-21 South Korean next-generation fighter plane will form the centrepiece. South Korea may be looking for international suppliers to supply it with technology for tanker aircraft.

According to the expert, other, civilian-orientated displays will showcase “urban mobility” technology that can be used for air taxis as well as satellite launch rockets.

Kang Eunho, South Korea’s minister for Defense Acquisition Program Administration, (DAPA), refused to discuss any possible deals, but said to reporters that he hoped the show would give him the chance to “read and track the trend” in global defense developments.

PROGRAMMES FOR GROWING WEAPONS

Kallman Worldwide organizes U.S. participation at various aerospace and defence exhibitions around the world. They claim that North Korea’s “nuclear sabrerattling” and efforts to resolve those tensions via diplomacy has made ADEX unique in its approach with more urgency and intrigue.

“Driving the discussion, defence budget increases largely aimed at countering Kim Jong Un’s nuclear programs are spiking supplier interest in the show,” the company said in a pitch for ADEX on its website.

South Korea recently approved large increases to its defense budget. This is in response to the North, and it seeks out American assistance while growing its military export industry.

For 2022, the Ministry of National Defense proposed a defense budget of 55.23 trillion won (47.6 billion), an increase of 4.5% year over year.

Joseph Dempsey of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, an analyst in defence, stated that North Korea’s choice to hold its own exhibition, complete with data cards for each weapon, was “very unusual” for a country which tends to display its arsenal more often at parades.

A ballistic missile that has an apparent maneuverable re-entry vehicle was among the new potential weapons. Another missile previously unseen, located next to North’s submarine-launched missiles were also displayed.

Dempsey stated that the mystery missile was smaller than existing SLBMs and could be a more direct route to an operational ballistic submarine. South Korea demonstrated this recently with an SLBM launch.

The South’s defense ministry responded to questions about North Korea’s display by saying it was reviewing the weapons displayed in coordination with the United States.

Oliemans indicated that there were many conventional weapons on display, including surface-to-air, anti-tank, and anti-ship missiles. Also, new small arms, like sniper rifles, were shown.

“What are we seeing?” he stated.