Gangwon State (Governor Woo Sang-ho, hereinafter referred to as the "State") is fully activating its on-site support system centered around the Administrative Support Headquarters to ensure the successful hosting of the "2026 Gangneung ITS World Congress," which is now just a month away.

The 2026 Gangneung ITS World Congress will be held for five days from October 19 to 23 at the Gangneung Olympic Park area. It is the world's largest international intelligent transport systems (ITS) event, with approximately 60,000 participants from some 90 countries engaging in ministerial meetings, academic sessions, exhibitions of advanced transportation technologies, technical demonstrations and tours, and cultural events. A total of 419 domestic and international companies and institutions—including Hyundai, LG Electronics, and Google—will participate to showcase future transportation technologies such as Level 4 autonomous vehicles, parking robots, and artificial intelligence (AI) traffic platforms.

Gangwon State operates the "Gangwon State Administrative Support Headquarters" headed by the Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs, building cross-sectoral support systems spanning transportation, PR, safety, firefighting, medical services, roads, and tourism. During the congress, an on-site comprehensive situation room will be operated to share conditions across sectors in real time and maintain rapid coordination with relevant organizations such as Gangneung City and the Organizing Committee in the event of any unexpected incidents.

To spread the atmosphere of participation and increase the number of visitors, the State plans to link meetings, training sessions, and workshops of the State, municipal governments, affiliated organizations, and public institutions to be held in Gangneung and the Yeongdong region during the congress period. By encouraging event attendees to view the exhibition halls and technology demonstrations, the State also aims to boost local lodging, tourism, and consumer spending. Currently, around 400 attendees from 10 events, including the "Gangwon Advanced Traffic Safety Culture Workshop," are scheduled to visit the congress venue, and the State plans to expand linked events through additional demand surveys.

Starting 30 days prior to the opening of the congress, intensive promotional campaigns will be launched utilizing various media channels, including the official website, social media, electronic billboards, and public transit advertisements. Public institutions, associations, and organizations will also be requested to promote and participate in the congress to heighten social interest and engagement.

On September 18, Gangwon State held its 2nd Administrative Support Headquarters Preparation Reporting Meeting to review preparation status and pending issues by sector, and to finalize the operation plan for the comprehensive situation room and departmental roles and cooperative systems during the congress period.

Lee Jong-gu, Director-General of the Construction and Transportation Bureau of Gangwon State, stated, "Now that the congress is just a month away, we will shift our support system from a preparation-oriented one to an on-site execution framework," adding, "The State, Gangneung City, the Organizing Committee, municipal governments, and public institutions will cooperate closely to prepare for a safe and successful congress."

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]