Held in Santiago, Chile: A Platform for Defense Cooperation
Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Ocean, and Others Participate
Strong Local Interest in Tactical Vehicles and Space Technology
The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced on May 2 that, together with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Chile, it hosted 'Korea Defense Day 2025' at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Santiago, Chile, on April 28. The event was organized to strengthen defense industry cooperation and facilitate technology exchange between Korea and Chile.
Officials from the Chilean Ministry of National Defense and military personnel attending the 'Korea Defense Day' event are touring our company exhibition hall and receiving explanations about key exhibits. Photo by KOTRA
At the event, leading Korean defense companies, which rank fifth in the global defense industry market, participated to showcase a wide range of technologies and solutions in areas such as maritime, aerospace, ground weaponry, textiles, and components. Hanwha Group affiliates?including Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Ocean, Hanwha Systems, and Hanwha Global Division?participated on-site, along with Nara Space Technology, Innospace, and Kia. Woosung C-Tech and Vistacom participated online.
The Chilean government was represented by 120 high-ranking officials from the Chilean Army, Navy, and Air Force, including Ricardo Montero Allende, Vice Minister of National Defense. The attendees showed strong interest in Korean defense technology and engaged in discussions about the potential for practical cooperation. One-on-one business consultations were held between Korean companies and Chilean military and government officials. There were also presentation sessions where each company introduced its specialized technologies. In particular, there was significant local interest in advanced ground equipment, space launch vehicles, and defense textile products, as well as Kia's armored tactical vehicle (KLTV), which was deployed to the Chilean Marine Corps in 2022 through a 'G2G export contract' between the Chilean government and KOTRA.
An Sunghee, Director of KOTRA's Santiago Trade Office, stated, "This event served to highlight the competitiveness of our defense technology and to open the door for cooperation in the Latin American defense market. Based on the strong local interest confirmed at this event, we will continue to provide support to ensure that it leads to practical technology cooperation and joint projects between the two countries in the future."
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