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Beyond 10 Years of Smart City Innovation, Toward the AI City 2026 World Smart City Expo Comes to Busan!

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that it will co-host the 2026 World Smart City Expo (WSCE) with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, led by Minister Kim Yoon-duk, and the Ministry of Science and ICT, led by Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, for three days from tomorrow, September 9, through September 11 at BEXCO Exhibition Center 1.

The World Smart City Expo is the largest smart city event in the Asia-Pacific region. First launched in 2017, it marks its 10th anniversary this year.

Under this year’s slogan, “Beyond Smart City, Into AI City,” the expo will review the achievements of smart city development over the past decade and showcase technologies and services for future cities, including the newly launched K-AI City initiative.

The opening ceremony, to be held tomorrow, September 9, the first day of the event, will feature a ceremony commemorating the 10th anniversary of the World Smart City Expo, along with keynote speeches by experts from Korea and abroad.

Following opening remarks by Kim Yong-seok, Chairperson of the Metropolitan Transport Commission under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and congratulatory remarks by Alisher Abdykadyrov, Head of Kazakhstan’s Alatau Development Agency, Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo, representing one of the event’s co-hosts, will deliver welcoming remarks and the first keynote address on “AI Cities: The Role and Vision of Local Governments.”

Hubert Beroche, CEO of Urban AI, will then deliver the second keynote address on “The Coexistence of AI, People, and Cities,” followed by the final keynote speech by Kim Sung-hoon, CEO of Upstage, on “AI That Makes Cities Move Intelligently.”

The main official programs will focus on artificial intelligence and share directions for the development of future cities and new urban models.

Launch ceremonies will be held for AI-specialized pilot cities, including Wonju and Cheonan-Asan, which were selected through an open call in June, and the Saemangeum AI Hydrogen City, which is being developed with investment from Hyundai Motor Group.

The WSCE Leaders Forum will bring together business leaders involved in AI city development from Korea and abroad, including Hubert Beroche, CEO of Urban AI; Willy Kuo, co-founder of Linker Vision; Lee Jae-yong, Executive Director at Hyundai Motor Group; and Son Byung-hee, CEO of maumAI, for presentations and panel discussions.

A total of 277 organizations from Korea and abroad will participate in the exhibition, showcasing a wide range of technologies and services that make up smart cities, including artificial intelligence, transportation and mobility, housing, energy and the environment, public safety and disaster prevention, and healthcare.

Major exhibition areas will include the AI-Specialized Pilot City Joint Pavilion featuring Wonju and Cheonan-Asan; city pavilions representing Ulsan Metropolitan City, Daegu Metropolitan City, Gwangmyeong, and others; public-sector pavilions operated by Korea Land and Housing Corporation, Korea Water Resources Corporation, Saemangeum Development Corporation, and others; and private-sector pavilions featuring Korean Air, NAVER Cloud, KT, and other companies.

Special exhibition areas will include the K-AI City Special Pavilion, presenting the history of smart city development over the past decade and AI city policies; the Busan Smart Ocean Pavilion, centered on future smart ports and artificial intelligence technologies; and the Smart Green Build Lounge, where visitors can experience next-generation housing technologies such as zero-energy buildings and modular housing.

A total of 41 conferences and related events will also be held to share knowledge and experience in the fields of smart cities and AI cities and to expand exchanges among industry, academia, research institutions, and government.

The K-AI City Policy Conference will introduce the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s K-AI City Implementation Strategy, as well as proposed project plans for AI-specialized pilot cities, including Wonju and Cheonan-Asan as existing-city models and the Saemangeum Waterfront City as a new-city model.

A variety of other programs will address key smart city fields, including AI-powered smart maritime and port systems, digital twins, carbon neutrality, hydrogen cities, and smart-plus buildings.

Special conferences, including the Urban AI Symposium and Screenless City Conference, will explore sustainable governance models for AI and cities. The AI City Talk Concert, featuring science-focused YouTubers Gwedo, Hangseong, Yak, and Heo Seong-beom, will also provide citizens with an accessible opportunity to explore visions for the future of AI cities.

Business programs will also be offered to help participating companies expand into domestic and international markets and promote business-to-business exchange and cooperation.

A Buyer Consultation Meeting will bring together buyers from 42 companies across 18 countries and 20 Korean companies, while buyer booths will provide opportunities for investment matching between companies.

In addition, an Open Innovation program featuring KT and Dassault Systèmes will support technological cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises and startups.

Open innovation refers to the practice of sourcing technologies or ideas externally to develop new products, services, or business models.

More information about the 2026 World Smart City Expo (WSCE) is available on the official website at https://www.worldsmartcityexpo.com.

Meanwhile, K-ICT WEEK in BUSAN, the region’s largest comprehensive information and communications technology event, will once again be held concurrently this year, following last year’s joint staging, featuring exhibitions and programs across a wide range of fields including ICT, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, robotics, and quantum technology.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yoon-duk said, “The 2026 World Smart City Expo will provide an opportunity to experience more closely the AI City that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is newly developing on the foundation of past smart city achievements. Going forward, we will build K-AI City not simply as a city that uses technology, but as a people-centered city of the future made possible through technology.”

Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, “It is especially meaningful to host the 10th-anniversary 2026 World Smart City Expo in Busan, the maritime capital of the Republic of Korea. Busan Metropolitan City will lead the development of a people-centered AI city model by integrating innovative technologies into the maritime and port sectors and throughout the city.”