Busan Pavilion Accomplishes Record Performance at CES 2026: Exhibitors Shine in AI, Semiconductors, and Smart Ports
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Busan Pavilion Accomplishes Record Performance at CES 2026: Exhibitors Shine in AI, Semiconductors, and Smart Ports
□ Busan Metropolitan City’s presence at the world’s premier electronics trade show, CES 2026, held in Las Vegas, the United States, from January 6 to 9, 2026 (local time), yielded remarkable results in underpinning local companies’ penetration of global markets, investment connections, and technological cooperation.
○ Through the Busan Pavilion, a total of 443 export consultations, $28.67 million in projected contract negotiations (to be finalized within the year), and 65 one-on-one meetings with investors and buyers were conducted, signaling robust competitiveness and keen interest worldwide.
□ At the Hyundai Motor Group booth, Mayor Park Heong-joon observed service robots and AI-powered future mobility and reviewed the feasibility of alliances and pilot projects in fields the city is actively supporting.
○ Given its diverse testing environments in ports, logistics, and urban infrastructure, Busan plans to foster an ecosystem centered on the demonstration and practical application of robotics and AI integration, together with multinational enterprises.
□ Busan companies unveiled their products along with core technologies and deployment potential within the city’s priority sectors—▲ Artificial intelligence, ▲ semiconductors, and ▲ smart ports—drawing heightened international attention. The professionalism of on-site briefings and the probability of successful deals also increased compared with previous years.
○ Represented corporations attained meaningful outcomes in funding attraction, global business engagements, proofs of concept, and export consultations.
○ ▲ O2 Lab (human balance measurement and AI platform) is seeking an investment of approximately 1 billion won with two investors. ▲ Korea LFP (AI-based battery management) signed a $3 million investment agreement with Coinvest.
○ ▲ Tiger A.I. (AI-driven motion recognition training service) executed a PoC and co-development agreement with Fit in Motion (USA), targeting the American market. ▲ CIT (glass substrate copper deposition equipment for semiconductor packaging) is in talks on investment and business expansion with a global accelerator.
○ ▲ doubleO (memory semiconductor data analysis and recovery system) carried out consultations for state-of-the-art SSD* forensic solutions, which employ data processing and restoration technology improved threefold over earlier versions.
* SSD: Next-generation storage built from NAND flash memory for laptops, PCs, and mobile devices
○ Busan-assisted content technologies also gained global traction. The AI-oriented real-time imaging robot ‘GENCY Studio,’ installed at Busan Station with backing from the city and the Korea Institute of Robotics & Technology Convergence, won a CES Innovation Award and received favorable responses from the entertainment and media industry. Discussions encompassed participation in the official Grammy Awards photo line and a PoC with a Japanese AI model firm slated for February, broadening commercial pathways.
□ Substantial progress was made in maritime technology joint initiatives as well, under the city’s push toward becoming a leader in the Arctic shipping era.
○ Mapsea, a CES 2025 participant as ‘Team Busan Cohort 1’ that forged partnerships with CMA CGM, one of the world’s top three shippers, explored navigation adoption for about 600 vessels at CES 2026. This reflects a milestone in commercialization and optimizes operational efficiency and safety while addressing emerging Arctic sea lanes and evolving climate and marine conditions.
□ Mayor Park noted, “CES 2026 provided an opportunity to highlight Busan companies’ innovative capacity and growth prospects on the international stage. Consultations and collaboration with foreign clients enhanced the possibilities for concrete funding, overseas sales, and productization.”
□ He added, “We reaffirm our commitment to follow-up support for the city’s strategic industries, including robotics, artificial intelligence, content, and maritime.”
