The Chungnam Provincial Government held the "2026 Chungnam Defense Venture Center Agreement Enterprise Meeting and Army-Navy Technology Exchange" on the 22nd at the Ondam Auditorium of the Nonsan Complex Cultural and Sports Center.

Co-hosted with the Chungnam Defense Venture Center, the event brought together approximately 120 participants, including Myoung No-cheong, Head of the Southern Branch Office of Chungnam Province, alongside officials from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the Army Logistics Command, the Army AI Center, the Navy Future Innovation Research Group, the Chungnam-Nonsan Defense Innovation Cluster Business Group, the Chungnam Technopark, the Chungnam Institute, the Chungnam Defense Venture Center, and representatives from partner companies. Together, they discussed cooperative measures between the military and enterprises.

The event proceeded in the following order: new agreement signings and contract extensions, an introduction to the Chungnam-Nonsan Defense Innovation District Project, security education for defense companies, a plenary meeting of the Chungnam Defense Industry Enterprise Association, and education on defense promotion and policy support for small and medium-sized ventures (led by DAPA).

During the agreement ceremony, two new companies signed partnerships with the Chungnam Defense Venture Center, while eight existing companies extended their agreements. The Chungnam Defense Venture Center now boasts a total of 121 partner companies, marking the second-largest scale nationwide.

The presentation on the defense innovation cluster project shared the strategic direction of the "Chungnam-Nonsan AI Defense Robot Defense Innovation Cluster," which was selected through a public contest by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration last June.

This project will invest a total budget of 49.9 billion won (24.5 billion won from national funds, 25.4 billion won from local funds) by 2030 to establish infrastructure for AI defense robot research, testing, and demonstration in the areas of Naedong and Yeonmu-eup, Nonsan City.

The site will provide full-cycle support from technology development to commercialization. It will be spearheaded by the Chungnam Technopark, with participation from institutions and companies such as KAIST, the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, Hyundai Rotem, Hanwha Aerospace, LIG Nex1, and Gukdong Communication.

In the Army-Navy Technology Exchange session, the Army Logistics Command announced demand for the localization of parts, while the Army AI Center and the Navy Future Innovation Research Group introduced their respective organizations and technologies of interest. In addition, three partner companies directly introduced their proprietary technologies to the military.

Subsequently, participants split into three breakout sessions—two for the Army and one for the Navy—to facilitate technology exchanges between the demanding military branches and the partner companies.

The provincial government provides comprehensive business support to partner companies, including technology development cost subsidies, consulting for central government public contest projects, exhibition booth rental fees, international certifications, and intellectual property support.

Between 2020 and 2025, 32 local companies were selected for 36 central government defense R&D projects, successfully securing 104.6 billion won in national funds.

According to the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET), defense export orders reached $15.44 billion in 2025, a 62.5% increase compared to the previous year. The provincial government plans to link the defense innovation cluster project and the Chungnam Defense Venture Center support to ensure this growth momentum in "K-Defense" translates into the growth of local small and medium-sized ventures.

Myoung No-cheong, Head of the Southern Branch Office, stated, "Today's technology exchange served as a starting point where the technology needed by the military and the technology possessed by our companies met in one place, connecting laboratory research to combat power and the market." He added, "We will closely weave together the defense innovation cluster project and Chungnam Defense Venture Center support so that enterprises never stall at any stage—from technology development to testing, demonstration, and market expansion."

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