The 'Smart Mobility' international forum discussing the future of transportation in the Asia-Pacific region will be held for the first time on the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) stage.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 3rd that it will host the '2025 APEC Smart Mobility Forum' at PARADISE City in Incheon from the 4th to the 5th. This event is the first discussion of the 'Smart Mobility Initiative' proposed by Korea as the chair country of APEC in 2025.
About 250 participants, including government representatives from 21 APEC member countries and domestic and international industry, academia, and research stakeholders, will attend the forum. Participants are expected to share the need for strategies to expand smart mobility, sustainable transportation cooperation, digital transformation in transportation, carbon neutrality, and international cooperation.
Smart mobility refers to future transportation services that enhance the efficiency, safety, and convenience of the movement of people and goods by integrating technologies from the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and ultra-high-speed communication into transportation methods and systems.
On the first day, the 4th, the opening ceremony and high-level sessions will take place. During the opening ceremony, Vice Minister Kang Hee-eob from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will give a keynote speech, followed by a congratulatory address from the Vice Minister of the Philippines' Ministry of Transportation. Subsequently, Ryu Geung-sun, the CEO of Kakao Mobility, will deliver a keynote speech titled 'The Era of Autonomous Driving: New Ideas for Sustainable Growth.'
The high-level sessions will include six countries, including Korea, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam, sharing their policies and innovative cases while discussing practical measures to strengthen international cooperation.
On the second day, sessions themed 'Consolidation,' 'Innovate,' and 'Prosper' will be conducted. Key topics will include smart interlinking strategies between transportation modes, trends in advanced technologies like autonomous driving, AI, and digital twins, as well as measures to recover global supply chains and enhance sustainability.
There will also be side events. The Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA) will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for joint research and development with the Ontario Innovation Center (OCI) in Canada, and the Incheon International Airport Corporation will sign an MOU with the Vietnam Aviation Academy to promote human exchanges in the aviation sector.
A smart mobility technology exhibition will also be held at the venue, with the participation of 16 major public institutions, including the Korea Expressway Corporation, Korea Airports Corporation, and Incheon International Airport Corporation. Advanced transportation technologies such as autonomous driving, urban air mobility (UAM), and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) will be showcased.
One-on-one business meetings between transportation officials from APEC member countries and Korean corporations will also be pursued. Eleven domestic corporations and institutions, including Kakao Mobility and Korea Airports Corporation, will participate to promote Korea's technological capabilities and broaden practical cooperation opportunities.