Chief Yoon Cha-young of the Seoul Airshow Co-organizing Office said this at an interview with the Korea IT Times. Chief Yoon concurrently serves as vice president of the Korea Aerospace Industries Association.
Before everything else, Yoon explained: "Now our country also is a dignified defense industry advanced country which exports aircraft, self-propelled artillery, and a warship to the countries including Turkey and Indonesia and is striving to export diverse home-made weapon systems including a tank and an infantry battle car."
In that regard, he stressed emphatically that immense interest and encouragement are needed in the most cutting-edge aerospace and defense industry from related institutions, corporations and the press including government level infrastructure construction so that Seoul Airshow can become a worldwide airshow.
Largest airshow in Northeast Asia In connection with the present condition of overseas airshow and our standing, Yoon said: "Seoul Airshow keeps growing as the largest airshow in Northeast Asia in step with the fact that domestic aerospace and defense industry are ceaselessly developing."
For reference, there are right now approximately 10 major airshows of world scale. Paris Airshow, the largest airshow in the world, takes place in Le Bourget airport on June of every odd year.
England's Farnborough International Airshow is the second largest in the world and has been held on July every even year, according to Yoon.
Singapore Asian Aerospace which is held representatively in Asian circles is an example that succeeded in a large scale airshow due to its geographical advantage which is connected to Southeast Asia and Australia. There are many air shows held in an odd year, in Dubai, Australia, Moscow, Thailand, Malaysia and Korea. In an even year Singapore, Chile, Germany, Indonesia, China and India also hold airshows.
As to economic ripple effect an aerospace and defense industry exhibition can bring, chair Yoon notes: "Aerospace and defense industry exhibition are a ground which provides aerospace and defense industry-related product's purchaser and sellers with a venue of intermediation and at the same time, offers visitors with spectacular things."
Participating companies which are eager to showcase their product come to display their company products by leasing booth and chalet, an exhibition space, and can gain direct profit through this, the chief said. Accordingly, earnings of approximately US$3.2 million are expected from such participation fees, according to Yoon.
Besides, Yoon said that tourism income of approximately US$15 million is expected through foreign tourists including foreign participating exhibitor's stay expenses. What's more, he added that the amount of orders received approximately US$500 million and approximately US$1 billion from export business talks are forecast. However above everything else, Yoon pointed out: "Regarding bigger economic effects which can be gained through an airshow in addition to such direct income factor, it is what an airshow can contribute to the activation of associated domestic industry by means of the most cutting-edge advanced aerospace industry technology exchange."
Marketing ground for domestic cutting-edge equipment Concerning Seoul Airshow's special feature this year, the Chief said that up to before 2003, Seoul Airshow has been a competition ground for companies which are eager to make inroads into Korean market mainly from abroad.
Yet starting from last 2005 Airshow, Seoul Airshow is changing into a marketing ground to introduce and sell all sorts of cutting- edge equipments of domestic companies which are eager to make inroads into world market, to abroad, Yoon summarized. It is being reported that representatively T-50 and KT-1 from Korea Aerospace Industries, LTD., the K-2 tank from Rotem Company, K-21 next generation infantry armored car and the K-9 self-propelled artillery and K- 10 ammunition car from Samsung Techwin are scheduled to unfold brisk marketing activity for overseas market inroads.
Secondly, Yoon is confident of the fact that Seoul Airshow 2007 will become a total competition venue of domestic defense products both nominally and virtually by enlarging its exhibition participation scope up to ground and sea equipment including the aerospace field. Through this, visitors will be able to confirm at firsthand cutting-edge future weapons of the 21st century and experience directly and indirectly its power, he said. Korea Forest Service, and National Police Agency are scheduled to be displayed in addition to a total of 10 aircraft such as the US Air Force B-1B.
In particular, Lockheed Martin is slated to showcase the F-35, the next generation stealth fighter. Separately from this, the Secretariat of the Seoul Airshow 2007 is propelling the participation of the US Armed Forces' V- 22 Tilt Rotor aircraft too.
When asked about changing the airshow character to meet showcase more civilian aircraft, Yoon said that the civilian aircraft will feature more prominently in accordance with the development of the domestic civilian demands the aviation industry.
He added that Seoul Airshow is concentrating airshow content on military demands part which is possible to pioneer overseas market for the present since the groundwork of domestic civilian demands aviation industry is weak.
