KOTRA promotes K-defense at Balkans' largest arms show, eyes Central and Eastern European market

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) supported South Korean defense companies in their push into the Central and Eastern European market at the Balkans' largest defense industry exhibition. The move comes amid growing interest in Korean defense products as European nations increase defense spending in response to the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war and Middle East conflicts, compounded by demand to replace Soviet-era weapons systems.

KOTRA said Sunday it operated a Korean defense pavilion at HEMUS 2026, the Bulgaria International Defence Exhibition, which ran for four days from June 3 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

HEMUS is the Balkans' premier biennial defense exhibition, drawing exhibitors from more than 50 countries and attracting over 4,000 visitors each edition. This year's show was attended by global defense contractors including Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin, as well as Bulgarian Ministry of National Defense officials, procurement officers from the army, navy and air force, and local defense companies.

Nine South Korean defense firms participated in the Korean pavilion, including Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), HD Hyundai Heavy and Dasan Machineries. The companies introduced key products and technologies — including mobility equipment, communications systems and drones — to local government officials and buyers, and held business-to-business and business-to-government export consultations.

KOTRA said the exhibition focused not just on product promotion but on identifying local partners. With Central and Eastern European countries modernizing their weapons systems in response to a shifting security environment, the agency sought to explore opportunities for joint projects and technology cooperation with local firms.

Bulgaria has been accelerating its defense buildup amid security instability in the Black Sea region and a broader European push to increase defense spending. Prime Minister Rumen Radev, a former air force pilot who took office in May, visited NATO headquarters shortly after his inauguration and announced plans to gradually meet a defense spending target of 5 percent of gross domestic product.

Many countries in Central and Eastern Europe, including Bulgaria, still operate Soviet-era weapons systems. This is expected to generate significant new procurement demand across a range of areas — weapons replacement, maintenance, parts supply and operational system upgrades. For South Korean defense companies, the region offers a market where cooperation can extend well beyond finished-product exports to include components and materials, maintenance, training and technology transfer.

KOTRA said the exhibition confirmed bilateral cooperation demand particularly in drones and counter-drone systems, communications equipment and trainer aircraft. The findings reflect a broader trend in Europe since the Russia-Ukraine war, with growing demand for drone countermeasures, battlefield communications networks and aviation training capabilities.

A Bulgarian Ministry of National Defense procurement official who visited the Korean pavilion said South Korea's defense technology and reliability were already well established in the European market. "We are open to discussing cooperation with a wide range of Korean defense companies," the official said, adding that beyond weapons procurement, Bulgaria expected a comprehensive partnership encompassing technology cooperation between companies of the two countries and local investment, reflecting heightened attention to Eastern European security.

KOTRA has now participated in HEMUS for the second consecutive time, following its 2024 appearance, as it continues to expand its local network. The agency said it sees growing entry opportunities for small and midsize defense firms as the European defense market shifts its focus from large-scale systems toward supply chain stability, local production and parts procurement capabilities.

Jang Seong-gil, head of KOTRA's Defense Trade Support Center, said Bulgaria was undergoing large-scale modernization investment across its entire defense sector to respond to an unprecedented security environment in Europe. "Building on the network of potential partners established through this exhibition, we will follow up with online consultations and invitation-based partnership opportunities within the year to help defense components and materials companies break into European supply chains," he said.