Official poster for Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Gangneung, Gangwon-do Province (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

By Kim Seon Ah

This year's Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) World Congress, which showcases transportation technologies of today and tomorrow including artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous driving, kicked off on Oct. 19 in Gangneung, Gangwon-do Province.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Gangneung City Hall are jointly hosting the event at Gangneung Olympic Park from Oct. 19-23.

This global conference has representatives from government, business, academia and research institutions worldwide exchanging insights on cutting-edge transportation technologies and policies. This marks Korea's third hosting of the event following Seoul in 1998 and Busan in 2010.

Under the theme "Beyond Mobility, Connected World," this year's congress features 193 academic sessions, 428 exhibition booths and technology demonstrations.

The focus is the future of transportation technologies like autonomous driving and digital infrastructure centered on AI-powered ITS. Delegations from abroad will visit Gangneung City Information Center and a technology exhibition to observe Korea’s cutting-edge transit innovations.

Cultural events for the public include a spectacular drone light show on Oct. 19 with 3,500 drones to illuminate the night sky, the ITS Ice Show on Oct. 22 featuring famous figure skater Cha Jun-hwan and other performers, and a K-music concert as the grand finale on Oct. 23.

"ITS is evolving into a leading sector transforming the future of transportation, going beyond basic traffic management to integration of cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous driving and AI," Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Hong Jee-sun said. "Using this ITS World Congress as an opportunity, we will show the world the ITS policies and technological capabilities that Korea has built over the years."

sofiakim218@korea.kr