A large-scale defense exhibition will open this week to showcase state-of-the-art military gadgets and spotlight the technological cooperation between the public and private sectors, the defense ministry said Wednesday.

The Korea Defense Technology Exhibition For Creative Economy, co-hosted by the defense, science and trade ministries, is to kick off on Thursday for a four-day run at the KINTEX convention center in Ilsan, just north of Seoul.

Some 800 defense-related items made by integrating military and civilian technologies are to be on display, including robots that can be used for surveillance, muscle strengthening and cleaning gun muzzles, as well as the latest military equipment, according to the organizers.

The history of how the country’s aerospace industry has been developed over the past decades will also be shown to the people.

Visitors will also be able to experience programs such as simulation trainings and robot competitions, they added.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, the defense ministry will hold seminars and conferences on defense technology, with job fairs for young people set to be held.

“The exhibition will serve as a venue to further boost technology cooperation between the military and the civilian side, creating synergy to contribute to the national development and creative economy,” said Brigadier Jun Jae-pil, who is in charge of the event. (Yonhap)