Chungcheongbuk-do Secures ‘VEX Robotics Signature Event’… Over 120 Teams from 5+ Countries and 700+ Participants, Scheduled for January 2027 at Cheongju OSCO

Chungcheongbuk-do, Cheongju-si, the Chungbuk Culture Foundation, and Cheongju OSCO (OSCO) successfully secured the bid to host the 「2027 VEX Robotics Signature Event Korea」 in Cheongju after presenting a comprehensive package combining facilities, support systems, and local linkage programs.

The competition will be held for four days from January 7 to 10, 2027, at Cheongju OSCO. It will be hosted by Eastjin International Co., Ltd., the official distributor of VEX Robotics in Korea, featuring the elementary and middle school VEX IQ division matches alongside an international robotics educators program. The Chungbuk MICE Bureau (Global Tourism Team of the Chungbuk Culture Foundation) has collaborated on event planning and local linkage program design since the bidding stage, and plans to sign a sponsorship MOU within the year.

□ ‘Signature Event’ with World Championship Berths Secured… Chungbuk Secures First Host Location

VEX Robotics operates a stepped-level competition system ranging from regional tournaments and national team qualifiers to world championships. Among these, a ‘Signature Event’ is an internationally certified tournament grade where top-performing teams are awarded direct berths to the VEX Robotics World Championship. According to the organizers, this is the first time a tournament of this tier will be held in South Korea, with Chungbuk securing its very first hosting rights.

VEX Robotics is a STEAM education platform adopted by over 22,000 schools across 70 countries worldwide. The competitions are managed through an official portal jointly operated by VEX Robotics (USA) and the Global Robotics and Science Foundation (GRSF). The pinnacle of the system, the World Championship, entered the Guinness World Records as the "world's largest robotics competition" with 1,075 teams from 30 countries participating in 2016, and drew over 2,400 teams from more than 60 countries to the 2025 Dallas event.

A unique characteristic of VEX competitions is that rankings are not decided solely by match scores. Separate core judging criteria include the ‘Engineering Notebook,’ where students meticulously document the entire process from problem definition to design, manufacturing, and improvement, and the ‘Jersey Interview,’ where judges directly question participants about their design intent and problem-solving processes.

□ Over 120 Teams from 5+ Countries Visit… Bidding Success Extending to the Local MICE Industry

The event is expected to draw around 700 visitors to Cheongju, including 120+ domestic and international teams, participating students, supervising teachers, coaches, and families, with overseas delegation members visiting from five or more countries.

The Chungbuk MICE Bureau plans to broadly engage members of the Chungbuk MICE Alliance—spanning venue rental, accommodation, transportation, catering, souvenir production, and ESG operations—to ensure that the hosting success translates into tangible revenue for the local industry.

Additionally, the bureau aims to convert event participants into tourist demand for Chungbuk by preparing pre- and post-tours utilizing the length of stay of overseas delegations, alongside programs linked with Chungbuk’s unique venues. ESG-related measures, such as using multi-use containers, upcycling waste materials, and inviting local students to open programs, are also being discussed with the organizers.

□ Combining Competitions and Education in One Space… Aligned with Chungbuk's Industrial Policy Directions

This event is structured to combine robotics competitions with STEM and AI future education programs. Throughout the event period, an international robotics educators program for domestic and international educators, expert-led keynote lectures, and teacher workshops will be operated concurrently.

Programs linked with local industries, such as industrial tours and career sessions, will also be discussed with relevant organizations. As this aligns with the provincial policy direction of improving industrial constitution by grafting AI and robotics technologies onto Chungbuk’s key industries like semiconductors, bio, and secondary batteries, the event carries significance beyond a simple international gathering by serving as an opportunity to broaden the base of robot and AI talent starting from early education.

□ Following WRO and IRC 2028, Another Hosting Achievement… Building a ‘Chungbuk-Style MICE Model’

Following the successful hosting of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) National Finals at Cheongju OSCO last August—an event secured for five consecutive years starting last year—Chungbuk has once again proven its competitiveness as a host city for future industry international events by winning the bid for this VEX Signature Event.

Previously, the Chungbuk MICE Bureau accumulated international event hosting capabilities through consecutive achievements, including securing Cheongju as the host for the International Rubber Conference (IRC 2028) and having the 3rd World Forest Therapy Forum (WFoFT 2026) selected as a ‘Global K-Convention.’ With the addition of this international robotics competition, Chungbuk has further solidified a ‘Chungbuk-Style MICE Model’ where regional specialized industries and the MICE sector create a virtuous cycle. The organizers also plan to pursue consecutive hosting in Chungbuk for 2028 and 2029.

Kim Kyung-shik, President of the Chungbuk Culture Foundation, stated, "An international event is the fastest means to let the world know what a city does. By consecutively hosting international competitions in the AI and robotics fields, we will imprint Chungbuk as a future industrial city and establish a virtuous cycle where visitor demand flows back into local lodging, dining, and tourism consumption."