ADJ
SOUTH Korea is preparing to significantly expand spending on artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous military systems in 2027 as the country moves to reduce manpower dependence and introduce more unmanned technologies across defence operations.
Under the government’s proposed 2027 defence budget, funding for AI and manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capabilities is set to increase by 55.5%, from US$375 million in 2026 to US$583M next year. The increase reflects a broader shift in South Korea’s force-development priorities as the military looks to apply autonomous and AI-enabled systems to missions ranging from surveillance and logistics to hazardous-material handling and explosive-ordnance disposal (EOD).
Among the initiatives included in the budget proposal is a new US$32M demonstration programme for AI-enabled physical systems. The programme is intended to test the use of AI-equipped systems in areas including transportation, base security and hazardous-material handling, providing an operational environment in which emerging technologies can be evaluated before wider military application.
Investment is also continuing across a range of unmanned platforms and supporting technologies. Programmes include unmanned ground surveillance sensors, explosive-ordnance detection and disposal robots, autonomous underwater mine-search systems and other technologies intended to reduce the need to place personnel in high-risk environments. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has also identified AI and manned-unmanned systems as a priority within its 2026 policy agenda, alongside efforts to accelerate the acquisition of unmanned and counter-drone capabilities.
The growing emphasis on autonomy extends beyond ground-force applications. South Korea is developing domestically produced propulsion systems for future unmanned aircraft, including a 5,500lbs-class turbofan engine and a 1,400-horsepower-class turboprop engine unveiled earlier this year by DAPA and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The turbofan engine is being developed with potential application to an unmanned combat aircraft designed to operate alongside crewed fighters. The turboprop engine is intended to support future unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.
Together, these projects show how South Korea’s unmanned-systems development is expanding across multiple operational areas rather than focusing on a single type of platform. The broader challenge is increasingly one of integration. Deploying larger numbers of unmanned systems requires more than autonomous vehicles or aircraft. Sensors, communications networks, command-and-control (C2) systems and AI software must work together if crewed and uncrewed platforms are to share information and conduct coordinated missions.
That wider technology ecosystem will be one of the areas in focus at K-DEX 2026, which will take place from December 8-11 at KINTEX Exhibition Center 2 in Goyang, Republic of Korea. One of the exhibition’s five principal technology themes is Physical AI-Based Autonomous & Manned-Unmanned Teaming Systems. The theme covers technologies related to autonomous platforms and manned-unmanned cooperation, while the wider exhibition will also feature intelligent command and control, drone and counter-drone systems, long-range precision strike and smart military infrastructure.
These areas are closely linked in future military operations. Autonomous reconnaissance platforms, for example, require sensors and communications to collect and transmit information, while command-and-control systems are needed to distribute that information and coordinate responses with crewed units. AI can also support functions including navigation, environmental recognition, data analysis and decision support. For defence companies, this means opportunities surrounding autonomous military systems extend well beyond the development of complete unmanned platforms.
Suppliers of sensors, communications technologies, robotics, AI software, navigation systems, command-and-control solutions and other subsystems can all form part of the wider ecosystem required to deploy autonomous capabilities operationally. K-DEX 2026 will provide Korean and international companies with an opportunity to present these technologies within the context of South Korea’s evolving future-force requirements.
International suppliers can use the exhibition to assess areas in which their technologies may complement Korean defence programmes and identify potential industrial partners in the local market. Korean companies, meanwhile, will be able to present their autonomous and AI-related technologies to overseas military, government and defence-industry representatives facing similar requirements.
K-DEX 2026 will be the first edition following the integration of KADEX and DX KOREA into a single international ground defence exhibition. The event will be held across Halls 6, 7, 8 and 9B of KINTEX Exhibition Center 2, with additional programmes including business-to-business (B2B) and government-to-business (G2B) meetings, technical presentations, seminars and networking activities.
The proposed 55.5% increase in AI and manned-unmanned systems funding provides a measurable indication that autonomy is becoming a more concrete part of South Korea’s defence investment agenda. As that investment moves from research and individual platforms toward operational integration, technologies connecting AI, robotics, sensors, networks and command systems are likely to play an increasingly important role in future force development. K-DEX 2026 will bring many of those technology areas together as South Korea prepares for the next phase of its military modernisation.
Visitor pre-registration for K-DEX 2026 is now open. Eligible visitors may receive discounted or free admission through advance registration, which also provides a faster entry process at the exhibition venue. Defence-industry professionals, buyers, military personnel and other prospective visitors can register through the official K-DEX 2026 website.-–shp/adj/dl (Pix:K-DEX)
