South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) successfully concluded the 2025 ITS Asia-Pacific Forum last week (May 28-30) at Suwon Convention Center, marking the event as the largest gathering of its kind in the region.
The forum brought together over 30 national delegations, 70 enterprises, and approximately 10,000 participants under the theme ‘Hyper-Connected Cities by ITS.’
The three-day event featured significant diplomatic activity, with ministers and vice-ministers from 12 countries participating in summit discussions focused on digital transport transformation and future city development. The participating officials adopted a key message calling for enhanced Asia-Pacific cooperation in digital transition.
ITS America participation
ITS America President and CEO Laura Chace, who participated in the forum, shared her observations through LinkedIn posts during the event. Writing about the forum’s policy discussions, Chace noted the importance of frameworks that enable “national marketplaces and ensure interoperability among modes and jurisdictions” for realizing connected transportation systems.
Chace praised the host city’s technological infrastructure, observing Seoul’s innovative crosswalk technology that combines visual lighting with audible messages to help pedestrians safely navigate busy intersections. “I’d love to see this technology deployed back at home in major cities,” she wrote.
She also commented on Korea’s transportation efficiency, noting the “incredible public transport system and state of the art traffic management” that keeps people moving efficiently through the city.
Diplomacy and business
Minister Sang-Woo Park of MOLIT leveraged the forum for bilateral diplomacy, holding meetings and signing memorandums of understanding with key partners including Uzbekistan and Malaysia. These agreements formalize government-to-government cooperation in smart cities and ITS development.
The exhibition hall featured 177 booths showcasing diverse technological innovations. Korean companies participated in one-on-one business consultations with international clients, creating new opportunities for export partnerships and overseas expansion.
Live technology demonstrations proved particularly popular, featuring more than 10 advanced systems including autonomous parking robots, unmanned remote-controlled mobility solutions, Urban Air Mobility (UAM), and smart crosswalks. These demonstrations allowed participants to experience Korea’s capabilities in ITS innovation firsthand.
Student program and the future
Beyond industry networking, the forum included citizen and student-focused programming designed to increase public engagement with ITS technology. Family-friendly attractions included drone art shows, autonomous vehicle test rides, and seatbelt safety experiences.
The ITS Ideathon provided university students with a platform to present innovative mobility solutions, connecting academic research with practical transportation challenges.
Minister Park emphasized the role of ITS in urban planning, stating that “ITS operates invisibly to coordinate urban flow and create people-centered transportation systems.”
He positioned the forum within Korea’s broader international strategy: “Through the 2025 Asia-Pacific Forum, Korea’s ITS capabilities were highlighted globally. We will continue to build global leadership leading up to the successful hosting of the 2026 ITS World Congress in Gangneung.”
The forum’s success sets the stage for upcoming international ITS events, including the 2025 ITS World Congress in Atlanta this August, the ITS European Congress in Istanbul in 2026 by the 2026 ITS World Congress in Gangneung, Korea.
Chace expressed appreciation for the international cooperation, writing: “It’s wonderful to see so many of our global partners here in Suwon learning about new advances in ITS and sharing their experiences.”
