Gangnam-gu Assembly members attend the 2026 Gangnam Robot Plus Festival. Song Young-gwang, chair of the Economy and Urban Committee, is seventh from the left.
Gangnam-gu Assembly members attend the 2026 Gangnam Robot Plus Festival. Song Young-gwang, chair of the Economy and Urban Committee, is seventh from the left.

The Gangnam-gu Assembly visited the 2026 Gangnam Robot Plus Festival at the COEX East Gate lobby and plaza Friday morning, exploring the potential of future industries by experiencing robot and AI technology firsthand.

Running Friday through Sunday under the theme "Gangnam's Great Transformation into a Future City Where People and Robots Coexist," the festival features 36 organizations — including companies, research institutes, universities and schools — showcasing robots, AI and other emerging technologies across 47 booths, with hands-on experiences and lectures throughout.

The opening ceremony Friday featured a 3D hologram vision lighting event attended by Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-gi and about 100 guests. KAIST Professor Kim Dae-sik and announcer Han Seok-jun also hosted a talk concert titled "The Metal Colleague Sitting Next to Me," offering a look at the coming age of robots.

Alongside this, the festival will feature demonstrations of the latest robot technology, an AI quadruped robot competition, a robot drawing performance and a robot dance challenge — a lineup of performances and events giving visitors direct experience with robot and AI technology.

Assembly members attending the event included Economy and Urban Committee Chair Song Young-gwang, Rep. Lee Sang-ae, Rep. Kim Jin-gyeong, Rep. Park Dae-yong, Rep. Kim Yun-hee, Rep. Yeom Hee-ok and Rep. Eun Myeong-ju. They reviewed the current state of Gangnam-gu's robot industry promotion policy and experienced demonstrations of AI and robot systems.

In a congratulatory address, Song said the festival "will serve as a springboard for Gangnam-gu to leap forward as a world-class robot-friendly city and a hub of future industries," adding that the assembly "will spare no institutional support or budget to back the innovative growth of the robot and AI industry and ensure that advanced technology translates into convenience and happiness in residents' daily lives."


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