Busan Hosts Major ICT Event Showcasing AI and Quantum Technology Advancements

Busan Metropolitan City hosted the 2024 K-ICT WEEK, the largest information and communication technology event in South Korea's southeastern region, at BEXCO Exhibition Center 2 from September 10-12. The three-day event served as Korea's leading ICT exhibition where global experts shared the latest trends in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and quantum information technology while discussing future visions for technological advancement.

The exhibition integrated three major events: AI Korea, IT EXPO BUSAN, and CLOUD EXPO KOREA, and was held in conjunction with the Korea Safety Expo, bringing together companies from various industries including ICT-based safety, manufacturing, education, marine, logistics, medical, and security sectors to Busan. More than 200 companies, including KT, DOUZONE BIZON, WINS Co., LTD., SLASHBSLASH, and SCHAFFENGOTT, showcased their products across 489 booths, demonstrating the region's technological capabilities.

The comprehensive ICT exhibition featured multiple specialized components including the Cloud Conference, business consultations with global buyers, corporate investment consultation meetings, a Quantum Information Technology seminar, and a briefing on AI commercialization opportunities by the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute. The event also included the BDIA Job Fair booth and an information security hackathon, providing diverse opportunities for knowledge sharing and professional development.

Innovative technological features enhanced the visitor experience, including an indoor navigation service to guide attendees through the exhibition and a virtual exhibition hall created using a metaverse platform. These technologies allowed participants to experience the normalization of AI in daily life and demonstrated practical applications of emerging technologies.

The Cloud Conference held on September 10 drew significant attention with a keynote speech by Microsoft Korea, alongside discussions by AI experts from companies like Kakao Enterprise and DOUZONE BIZON on the latest trends and prospects in cloud computing and artificial intelligence. As the K-ICT WEEK in BUSAN celebrated its 10th anniversary, Busan Metropolitan City showcased innovative technologies leading to AI Transformation, expanding the scope to include quantum information technology and information security.

Busan Mayor Heong-joon Park emphasized the event's significance as a global collaboration stage where advanced technologies of future unicorn companies could be seen comprehensively. The mayor stated that the event proves Busan's preparedness for the AI Transformation of all industries and presents the city as emerging toward becoming a global technological hub through organic cooperation between cross-industry events.

The 2024 K-ICT WEEK in BUSAN, featuring three major exhibitions—AI KOREA, CLOUD EXPO KOREA, and IT EXPO BUSAN—provided a comprehensive platform for Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and valuable networking opportunities, solidifying Busan's position as a key player in Korea's technological landscape and global ICT development.