▲ This photo, provided by Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), shows DAPA Minister Lee Yong-cheol (4th from L) meeting with the Polish vice defense minister at the international defense exhibition in Poland on Sept. 9, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- The chief of South Korea's defense procurement agency has participated in an international defense exhibition in Poland to support exports of homegrown arms products in Europe, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Thursday.

DAPA Minister Lee Yong-cheol participated in the annual International Defence Industry Exhibition, known as the MSPO, in Kielce, on Wednesday (local time), according to DAPA.

Lee arrived in Poland on Tuesday as part of his trip to Europe that includes a two-day stop in Croatia. He is set to return home Friday.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, Lee met with the Polish deputy defense minister and the undersecretary for defense of Estonia to discuss ways to bolster defense cooperation.

The exhibition will feature a Korean promotion booth to help support local small and medium-sized defense firms designed to expand exchanges with foreign buyers. Sixteen South Korean defense firms, including Hanwha Group and Hyundai Rotem, separately set up individual booths at the exhibition.

The MSPO 2026, which opened Tuesday and will run through Friday, is the largest defense exhibition in Eastern Europe, showcasing new high-tech arms products.

The event was attended by 35 nations and brought together some 39,000 visitors last year.

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