South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said on April 21 it will hold the 2026 World IT Show, the country’s largest information and communications technology exhibition, at COEX in Seoul for three days from April 22 to 24.

Now in its 18th year, the World IT Show is a flagship ICT exhibition that promotes ICT companies’ technologies and services and shares the latest technology trends. About 460 companies and institutions from 17 countries will take part in an exhibition space covering 75,000 pyeong.

This year’s event is built around the slogan, “Beyond thinking to action: AI moves reality.” It will focus on “physical AI,” in which AI combines with physical domains such as robots and autonomous manufacturing to drive change.

The event strengthened its exhibition content this year through four special pavilions. They include the Award Tech Pavilion introducing standout technologies from CES Innovation Awards winners, the Global Pavilion featuring overseas companies by major countries, the Entertech Pavilion examining the convergence of K-content and advanced technologies, and the K-AI Semiconductor Ecosystem Pavilion showcasing AI semiconductor-based convergence technologies and demonstration cases.

On the first day, the Global ICT Outlook Conference will feature keynote speeches by experts from South Korea and abroad on industrial changes in an era of major AI transformation and the direction of future technologies.

It also prepared a range of specialised programmes for the first time. The AI and ICT Insight Forum will discuss policy and technology strategies to advance to becoming one of the top three AI powers. The K-Physical AI Roundtable will have the government and companies explore industry-site-focused directions for developing physical AI technology and ways to cooperate. The K-Entertech Global Summit will share global market entry strategies and business models based on cases of combining K-content and AI technologies.

The show will also run programmes supporting South Korean ICT companies’ overseas expansion and investment attraction. The Global ICT Buyer Export Consultation Meeting will seek practical export opportunities through one-on-one consultations with South Korean companies. Companies will introduce innovative products and technologies directly at the New Technology and New Product Presentation. It will also operate a one-on-one tailored business connecting programme called the Mingling Zone Business Connecting to support practical matching between investors and companies.

Also being held for the first time, the 2026 K-AI Champions IR Day will offer opportunities to attract investment for outstanding AI startups by linking them with managers of public-private funds in the AI sector.

On the second day, it will invite diplomats posted in South Korea to introduce South Korean AI and ICT policies and conduct an exhibition tour where they can directly experience innovative technologies by South Korean ICT companies. Alongside the World IT Show, it will also hold the ICT Technology Commercialisation Festival and the University Information and Communications Technology Research Center (ITRC) Talent Development Expo at the same time to create a comprehensive forum for exchange.

Lee Do-gyu (이도규), director general for information and communications policy at the ministry, said, “This year we are showcasing immersive exhibition content centred on physical AI and prepared various side events.” He added, “We hope it will be an opportunity not only for industry workers but also for students and the general public to experience, understand and enjoy AI and ICT technologies firsthand.”