This is a scene from last year's International Security Conference that ran from Oct. 16-17, 2024, at COEX Mall in Seoul’s Gangman-gu District. (Seoul Metropolitan Government)

By Yoo Yeon Gyeong 

Seoul is the sixth-best city for hosting international conferences among some 1,500 metropolises worldwide.

This ranking for last year marked the capital's highest since 2005 and was up from 10th in 2023. Seoul also placed second last year in the Asia-Pacific region in this category after Singapore.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on May 21 announced this based on the ICCA GlobeWatch: Business Analytics – Country & City Ranking 2024, an annual market analysis of the international meetings industry released on May 20 by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). The city hosted 124 global conferences last year, 21 more than in 2023.

Seoul ranked fourth in hosting medical events, reflecting the growth of the domestic medical industry and its world standing.

Last year, Global Traveler, a leading U.S. business travel magazine, inducted Seoul into its hall of fame after naming the capital the world's top MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) city for the 10th consecutive year.

To strategically develop the sector, the city and the Seoul Tourism Organization will invest KRW 9.5 billion this year. To expand exhibition and convention infrastructure, they will form by 2031 MICE clusters around Jamsil Sports Complex and the northern area of Seoul Station.

dusrud21@korea.kr