The National Science Museum (Director Lee Eun-young) will hold the ‘2026 3rd TechConE : Defense Tech NEXT’ for three days from October 15 to 17. Combining cutting-edge defense science and technology with culture and the arts, the event will be open to everyone free of charge in and around the museum, including Science Hall and Dream Square (Kkumi Square). Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis through the museum website (www.science.go.kr).
 [코리안투데이] The main poster for ‘2026 TechConE : Defense Tech NEXT’ © 장형임 기자 |
TechConE is a festival designed to let visitors experience the innovation of advanced technology easily and enjoyably by pairing it with culture and the arts. Following the 1st edition on robots in April 2025 and the 2nd edition on artificial intelligence in September of the same year, this 3rd edition takes ‘defense technology’ as its theme. Rather than a rigid, weapons-centered exhibition, its distinguishing feature is that it translates the state-of-the-art scientific principles hidden within defense technology into everyday language, making the event meaningful as a place where defense science comes closer to ordinary citizens in the language of daily life.
The event brings together the 32nd Infantry Division, Yuseong-gu Office, the Agency for Defense Development, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, the Air Force Academy, the Army Personnel Command, Satrec Initiative Co., and bHaptics Inc., drawing attention as a model of civil-public-military cooperation.
On the first day, October 15, an opening video will declare that young people are the ‘leaders of K-defense’ who will drive future defense science and technology, followed by an interactive talk show titled ‘Defense Tech Summit: A Conversation Among Giants’, featuring the director of the National Science Museum, the head of Yuseong-gu Office, a KAIST professor, an official of the 32nd Infantry Division, and the research division head of the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute. KAIST professor Kim Dae-sik and broadcaster Ji Sang-ryeol will then host a lecture and talk concert on the theme ‘The future battlefield and human life to be transformed by AI and brain science.’
On the second day, October 16, a ‘Real Military Talk’ will bring together broadcaster Choi Young-jae, known from the program ‘Steel Troops’, an official of the 505th Infantry Brigade under the 32nd Infantry Division, and three experts from the Air Force Academy, the Agency for Defense Development, and Boramae Medical Center, who will exchange real combat experience and future technology. Sungkyunkwan University professor Kim Beom-jun and writer Kwak Jae-sik, together with broadcaster Kim Yong-myung, will present an entertainment-style talk show, ‘A Whimsical but Well-Grounded, Delightful General Assembly of Defense Science’, answering the hypothetical matchups imagined by the audience with the laws of physics and scientific theory. Along with special lectures by military YouTubers Lee Se-hwan (Charles Institute of Military Studies) and Tae Sang-ho (Tae Sang-ho’s Military Talk), there will also be a ‘Fandom Show-Off Time’ introducing prized possessions and a ‘Military Buffs’ Chat’ segment where the year’s top military enthusiast is chosen by on-site vote. Advance applications for military-buff participation are accepted until September 30.
On the final day, October 17, the schedule wraps up with a military science magic show by a professional science-magic performance team, ‘Be Funny or Die! Defense Comedy Big League!’ pitting Marine-veteran comedian Park Kyung-ho against special-forces-veteran comedian Lee Jung-soo, a special lecture by history storyteller Sun Kim (Kim Sun-young) titled ‘Defense Tech NEXT Seen Through Past War History’, a real-time survival quiz show ‘Military Golden Bell!’ in which all participants compete, and a finale performance by the Republic of Korea Army Military Band.
The exhibition and hands-on booths running throughout the event are also abundant. The 32nd Infantry Division will present actual state-of-the-art military equipment in the outdoor square—including a wheeled armored vehicle, a chemical-biological-radiological reconnaissance vehicle, a reconnaissance drone, a military police motorcycle, and explosive-ordnance-disposal gear—so that visitors can board and experience them firsthand. There will be a wearable-robot (muscle suit) experience by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, a demonstration of an exploration rover built by KAIST’s undergraduate robotics club, and a ‘Build a Nuri (KSLV-II) Kit’ program by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, along with an exhibition of a full-scale satellite model by space company Satrec Initiative and a VR/FPS combat game experience booth by bHaptics.
Hands-on activities for family visitors have also been prepared. These include ‘Future Battlefield Laser Tag’ played with laser weapon systems, a team-versus-team ‘Drone-Ball Soccer Match’, ‘Real Fortress’ for toddlers and children, ‘Future Weapon 3D Printing’ in which participants create weapons they have drawn using a 3D printer, and camouflage-cream face painting. A prize drawing event for participants will also be held, and detailed daily schedules can be found on the museum website.
National Science Museum Director Lee Eun-young said, ‘This event is the fruit of civil-public-military cooperation joined by defense and research institutions such as the Agency for Defense Development, KAIST, and the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, together with the 32nd Infantry Division. I hope citizens will see and feel for themselves that defense technology is not merely weaponry but a concentration of cutting-edge science and technology that keeps our society safe.’ She added, ‘I hope it becomes a place that shows future generations new career possibilities in science and engineering across various fields, such as weapons systems and platform development, advanced ICT convergence, and materials and energy.’
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