(KPL/Yonhap)Drone Show Korea (DSK), the biggest drone exhibition in Asia, kicked off Wednesday in the Republic of Korea's southeastern port city of Busan to showcase drone technologies that can be used across various industries, from defense and space to future mobility, the industry ministry said.

The 2025 DSK will showcase drone technologies of 306 companies from 15 countries, the largest attendance in the event's 10-year history, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The attendees include major the Republic of Korean aerospace and defense firms, such as Korean Air Lines Co., Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. and LIG Nex1 Co., as well as the Korea AeroSpace Administration.

This year's event has expanded the range of its exhibition to drone-related industries, such as new space, future mobility, carbon neutrality and artificial intelligence (AI).

"Drone is a prominent new industry and a strategic security asset in the era of AI," First Vice Industry Minister Park Sung-taek said in an opening speech of the event.

Park said the government will devise a strategy to bolster the competitiveness of the local drone industry and help the sector build a stable supply chain and manufacturing system.

In a related move, a new joint consultative body of the military, private defense firms and research institutions was launched on the day in a ceremony held on the sidelines of the event, the ministry said.

The consultative body will work to advance the defense industry by integrating defense and other cutting-edge technologies, such as AI and drone, and promote the country's arms exports, it added.

KPL