Seeking Overseas Markets and a Path to AI Transition at the Gangneung ITS World Congress

[Financial News] The domestic intelligent transportation systems (ITS) industry will use the “Olympics of Transportation,” taking place in Gangneung over five days, as a platform to seek overseas markets and new business opportunities.
According to ITS Korea on the 16th, the association will run a series of programs at the 2026 Gangneung ITS World Congress, being held from the 19th to the 23rd, covering overseas expansion and international cooperation, local ITS development, and the convergence of future industries and the AI transition. The aim is to use the World Congress to create connections between domestic companies and overseas markets, national policies and local communities, and ITS and advanced industries—and to find new business and cooperation opportunities through those connections.
This is the third ITS World Congress to be held in South Korea, following Seoul in 1998 and Busan in 2010, and the first in the country in 16 years. Around 90 countries are taking part in this year’s 32nd edition, and cumulative attendance at the event venue around Gangneung Olympic Park is expected to reach about 60,000 over its duration. Ahead of the event, Gangneung opened the Gangneung Convention Center last August, with a gross floor area of 18,967 square meters. The Congress is focused on showcasing a model for applying ITS in small and midsize cities with populations of around 200,000, rather than in large cities. All 434 exhibition booths have been sold, and around 405 business-matching meetings are reportedly being arranged.
The most prominent focus is combining domestically developed AI semiconductors with transportation infrastructure. The AI-ITS Transition Support Program (K-NPU), taking place on the 22nd at the Gangneung Convention Center, will bring together companies developing domestic AI semiconductors known as NPUs and ITS companies. NPU developers will introduce their technologies, and ITS companies will explain where they hope to use AI; the two sectors will then hold one-on-one consultations on technology and business. The association plans to assess whether AI models are compatible with NPUs and can be applied in practice, then connect the discussions to follow-up cooperation such as proof-of-concept (PoC) projects and field trials.
Substantial support for overseas market access is also planned. Global ITS Business Matching, held in the exhibition hall’s business lounge, will connect domestic companies one-on-one with overseas buyers and relevant organizations, based on the interests and technology needs of domestic and international participants. The goal is to help consultations lead to contracts, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), or discussions on follow-up business. On the 21st, the Gangneung Convention Center will host a briefing on support programs for exporting companies, organized by the Export Plus Support Group. The session will introduce key programs such as export vouchers and export financing, and provide an opportunity to discuss the challenges companies face in expanding overseas and possible solutions.
The association will also expand its network of cooperation with overseas transportation authorities and research institutions. It will hold joint sessions with the International Task Force on Vehicle-Highway Automation (ITFVHA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), and others. The sessions will address policy and technology issues including autonomous driving, AI-based traffic management, and V2X, and offer domestic experts opportunities for international exchange. The association plans to sign MOUs with ITFVHA, the International Road Federation (IRF), the UK ITS Association (ITS UK), and others, and will hold a separate cooperation meeting with AASHTO. The aim is to establish channels for ongoing cooperation in expert exchanges, joint research, and overseas projects.
The association plans to continue supporting efforts to develop overseas markets, policy exchanges with local communities, and technical cooperation across industries after the Congress ends.

[email protected] Jung Kyung-soo Reporter