The Wonju booth at Busan's Bexco showcasing the city's AI-focused pilot city initiative
The Wonju booth at Busan's Bexco showcasing the city's AI-focused pilot city initiative

Wonju officially launched its AI-focused pilot city program at Bexco in Busan, joining Cheonan and Asan as fellow designees under the initiative.

Wonju participated in the 2026 World Smart City Expo (WSCE), held over three days through Friday at Bexco in Busan, operating an exhibition booth for its AI-focused pilot city program and showcasing its vision for an intelligent smart city.

WSCE is South Korea's largest smart city exhibition, co-hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the city of Busan. This year's edition drew an estimated 280 or more companies and around 50,000 visitors.

About 2,500 visitors stopped by the Wonju booth during the event, reflecting strong public interest in the city's AI pilot city program.

At the K-AI Urban Policy Conference held alongside the expo, Wonju presented its AI-focused pilot city plans, outlining AI-based services it intends to deploy across transportation, public safety, disaster response and healthcare, and laying out a roadmap for next-generation urban services.

Wonju also received a commendation from Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport at the WSCE 2026 Leaders Awards ceremony, in recognition of its contributions to the successful staging of the expo.

"Building on the strong interest in Wonju's AI-focused pilot city that this expo has confirmed, we will solidify the city's brand as a leader in AI urban development and future industries," a Wonju city official said. "We will also work to attract smart city, AI and mobility companies and stimulate investment to sharpen our competitiveness in drawing future industries, while continuing to develop AI city services that residents can experience firsthand."


abc@heraldcorp.com