2026 Korea Urban and Regional Innovation Industry Expo

Meet Urban and Regional Innovation at Cheongju Osong Convention Center Halls 1–3 on September 29

The 2026 Korea Urban and Regional Innovation Industry Expo is scheduled to take place over four days, from September 29 to October 2, 2026, at Halls 1–3 of the Cheongju Osong Convention Center, located at 250 Osongsaengmyeong-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do. It is co-hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Chungcheongbuk-do, Cheongju, the Urban Regeneration Industry Promotion Association, and Yonhap News Agency. Promotional booths from local governments, government ministries, public institutions, and companies will be accompanied by an opening ceremony, seminars, and a results-sharing session. The event information lists the venue as Cheongju Osong Convention Center Halls 1–3, which made it easy to plan the route in advance.

This expo has been held every year since 2019 as a forum for urban and regional innovation exchange. In 2026, three award programs are also scheduled: the Urban and Regional Innovation Award, the Promotion and Marketing Award, and the AI Urban and Regional Innovation Ideas Competition. This means visitors can look beyond simply browsing the exhibition and also see how urban policies and technology ideas in Korea are evaluated. The organizers describe the event as the largest urban innovation expo in Korea.

Since the event will begin on September 29, 2026, the photos below show Cheongju Osong Convention Center, the event venue, rather than the expo itself. The glass exterior and spacious indoor lobby suggest a neat atmosphere focused on presentations, exhibitions, and consultations rather than a festival-style outdoor event. Cheongju Osong Convention Center has one basement level and two above-ground floors. Its exhibition area covers 10,031㎡, and it was designed to accommodate up to 600 booths. The Cheongju Osong Convention Center facility introduction also provides information about the exhibition halls, grand ballroom, and medium- and small-sized meeting rooms.

A 10-Minute Walk from Osong Station Exit 8 for a Close Look at Urban Policy

If you are traveling with foreign friends, using KTX Osong Station as your reference point is easier than using a subway station. The official transportation guide for Cheongju Osong Convention Center states that it takes 10 minutes on foot from Exit 8 of Osong Station to the venue. KTX travel from Seoul Station to Osong Station takes 40 minutes, from Yongsan Station 50 minutes, from Busan Station 1 hour 50 minutes, and from Gwangju Songjeong Station 1 hour 10 minutes, making it convenient to meet up with people from other cities in Korea. Following the route shown in the Cheongju Osong Convention Center transportation guide made finding the way much simpler.

By bus, visitors can take routes 53, 518, 521, 535, or B3 from the Osong Station area and use the Osong HumanSia Apartment or Osong Middle School·Cheongju Osong Convention Center stops. Both stops are described as a five-minute walk from the venue. From Cheongju International Airport, take B3 to Osong Humansia Apartment; the ride takes 43 minutes, followed by a five-minute walk. From Cheongju Express Bus Terminal, another route takes bus 511 to Mansuri Stop in 20 minutes, followed by a six-minute walk, while bus 502 reaches Mansu Park Stop in 22 minutes, followed by a nine-minute walk.

By car, the venue is approximately 4 km and 10 minutes from Cheongju IC, or 10 km and 15 minutes from Seocheongju IC. Parking costs 500 won for the first 30 minutes and 200 won for every additional 10 minutes, with a maximum daily fee of 8,000 won. Detailed information about admission fees, advance registration, on-site payment methods, English signs, and interpreting arrangements was not yet available, so it would be best to check the event notice once before September 29. Cheongju Osong Convention Center, which opened on September 11, 2025, is also described as having neighborhood facilities such as a café and convenience store. Reading the report on the opening of Cheongju Osong Convention Center helps explain the building’s layout.

If you want some fresh air between exhibitions and seminars, Osong Lake Park is 1.11 km away. Since the schedule centers on indoor exhibition halls, bringing a light outer layer, a compact umbrella, and a power bank would be convenient while moving around. You could also plan a walk after the expo by referring to the distance guide for Osong Lake Park.

A 10,031㎡ Exhibition Area and a Four-Day Schedule: Visitor Tips to Know First

The 10,031㎡ exhibition area can be divided into three spaces, so if you want to see both the promotional booths and seminars, it would be wise to look at the map immediately after entering. The 2026 schedule includes an opening ceremony, booth exhibitions, awards, seminars, and a results-sharing session. If you have clear areas of interest, deciding in advance which sessions you want to attend will help you avoid rushing. In particular, the Urban and Regional Innovation Award, Promotion and Marketing Award, and AI Urban and Regional Innovation Ideas Competition have different purposes despite their similar names, so it would be helpful to mark their locations and times separately on the program.

Since reviews from visitors to the 2026 event have not yet accumulated, it is difficult to predict specific busy periods or waiting times. However, during the opening ceremony, awards, and seminars on September 29, foot traffic may overlap around the entrance and meeting rooms. It would therefore be more comfortable to leave with a little extra time rather than relying strictly on the stated 10-minute walk from Exit 8 of KTX Osong Station. Visitors arriving by car should budget for the maximum daily parking fee of 8,000 won and also prepare a public transportation route as a backup.

Details about on-site conveniences such as restroom locations, temporary rest areas, luggage storage, and wheelchair rentals will only be clear once event-specific information is released. Cheongju Osong Convention Center is an indoor exhibition and convention facility extending from one basement level to two above-ground floors, and the Osong Middle School·Cheongju Osong Convention Center stop is described as a five-minute walk away. This should make getting around relatively manageable even on rainy days.

Urban Innovation Dialogues Since 2019, in Cheongju in 2026

This event is likely to suit foreign visitors curious about urban planning, public policy, AI, regional branding, and collaboration among public institutions more than travelers expecting a festival centered on performances or local specialties. It offers an opportunity to observe up close how Korean cities bring local governments, government ministries, public institutions, and companies together in one place to discuss regional challenges and future visions.

If I were attending, I would spend the morning touring the booths in Halls 1–3 and choosing cities of interest, then attend one seminar or results-sharing session in the afternoon before walking to Osong Lake Park. Even if the numbers and policy terminology feel unfamiliar, it can be fascinating to see how regions describe themselves and seek to change. If you are staying in Cheongju from September 29 to October 2, 2026, this could be a worthwhile itinerary for quietly listening to the questions being raised by Korea’s cities today.