New technologies and business methods aimed at solving urban issues, including artificial intelligence (AI), innovative financial techniques, and demand-responsive transport (DRT), will be showcased together. The event will not only display achievements in urban regeneration across the country but also discuss urban management, urban regeneration finance, and transportation innovations utilizing AI.
On September 27, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that the '2026 Korea Urban and Regional Innovation Industry Expo' will take place from September 29 to October 2 at OSCO in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
The expo will feature over 320 exhibition and promotional booths from public, regional, and private sectors. Approximately 85 booths in the Future Industry Hall will include companies from urban maintenance, safety, construction, real estate services, and IT, showcasing relevant technologies. Business exchanges targeting local governments and public institutions will also occur.
On the first day, September 29, the 'AI Urban and Regional Innovation Idea Contest' will be publicly evaluated. Participants will present solutions to urban issues using AI in five areas: urban management and safety, spatial innovation, climate response, and lifestyle innovation.
Funding methods for urban regeneration projects will also be a key topic. On September 30, a seminar titled 'Innovative Urban Finance Using New Financial Techniques' will be held to mark the 10th anniversary of urban regeneration fund support. The seminar aims to discuss ways to integrate new financial techniques into urban regeneration projects alongside existing fund support.
On October 1, the theme 'Urban Regeneration in the AI Era' will be explored, sharing cases of AI technology applied in urban regeneration. On the same day, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) and the Korean Society of Transportation will hold a session titled 'DRT, Connecting Regions,' focusing on the use of demand-responsive transport in metropolitan areas, new towns, and small cities.
Achievements in urban regeneration projects by local governments and public institutions will also be compared. Approximately 190 booths from public policy and regional innovation sectors will introduce the status and outcomes of urban regeneration projects being pursued in various regions. A community cooperation area with about 50 booths will feature cooperatives and local enterprises.
The official opening ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. on September 30. Awards will be presented to institutions, companies, and individuals that have achieved success in the urban and regional innovation sector this year, including 31 awards from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, with 33 major awards being presented on-site.
Kim I-tak, the First Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, 'To solve the problems faced by cities, we must actively utilize new technologies and ideas and find solutions that fit local conditions. We will support shared ideas and solutions to ensure they lead to tangible results on the ground.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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