Everyone from the Public to the Private Sector to Participate... 2026 World Smart City Expo to Be Held in Busan

[Financial News] The South Korean government plans to host the '2026 World Smart City Expo' in Busan with participation from both the public and private sectors, highlighting AI-specialized cities to the world.
According to the government on the 8th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), the Ministry of Science and ICT, and Busan will host the '2026 World Smart City Expo' at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) from the 9th to the 11th.
Launched in 2017, the event is regarded as the largest smart-city event in the Asia-Pacific region. This year’s expo will feature achievements in smart cities to date, along with the newly unveiled K-AI City.
Major figures from South Korea and abroad will also attend. Alisher Abdikadirov, head of Kazakhstan’s Alatau Development Authority; Hubert Veroche, CEO of Urban AI; and Kim Sung-hoon, CEO of Upstage, are scheduled to deliver congratulatory remarks and keynote speeches.
The launch ceremony for the AI-specialized pilot city and the WSCE Leaders Forum are drawing particular attention. The forum will feature a discussion among global business leaders involved in AI cities, including Hubert Veroche, CEO of Urban AI; Willy Guo, co-founder of Linker Vision; Lee Jae-yong, executive director at Hyundai Motor Group; and Son Byung-hee, CEO of Maim AI.
Exhibition halls jointly operated by the private and public sectors will also be open. A total of 277 companies will participate, representing a range of technology and service fields, including AI, energy and the environment, housing and transportation, and healthcare. Major exhibition areas will include city halls operated by local governments, such as the joint pavilion for AI-specialized pilot cities; public institution halls, including the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH); and public-private halls featuring Korean Air, NAVER Cloud, and KT.
Various conferences and side events will also take place. Through programs such as the AI City Talk Concert, featuring science YouTuber Gwe-do, and the K-AI City Policy Conference, organizers will explain future smart cities and help attendees become more familiar with them.
Kim Yun-duk, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "This event is an opportunity to experience more closely the AI city that MOLIT is newly preparing, based on the achievements of previous smart cities. We plan to build K-AI City as a warm future city brought to life through technology."

[email protected] Jung Kyung-soo Reporter