UN Journal | Kayla Lee | Organizers of the 13th Interenational e-Mobility Expo have released the following information: Jeju is once again poised to become the world's crossroads for electric mobility innovation, as the 13th International e-Mobility Expo (IEVE 2026) opens its doors from March 24 to 27 at Jeju Shinhwa World.
Organized under the banner of the 13th International e-Mobility Expo Organizing Committee and co-hosted by the Korea International Electric Vehicle Expo Association and GEAN (Global Electric vehicle Association Network), this year's event elevates its ambitions considerably — positioning itself not merely as a trade show, but as what organizers describe as the world's only mobility governance platform.
The dual theme driving this edition — "AI-Based Energy Transition and the Future of e-Mobility in the Era of Digital Transformation" and the rallying call "Our Common Future for the Next Generation" — signals a deliberate pivot toward systemic, civilization-scale thinking about where the global mobility industry is headed.
A B2B-First Expo with a Sharper Strategic Edge
The Organizing Committee has reoriented IEVE 2026 around measurable business outcomes rather than spectacle. Four consecutive days of business networking dinners and structured matchmaking programs are designed to produce real investment commitments and supply chain partnerships, not just industry handshakes.
One significant challenge this year has been the ripple effects of ongoing Middle East conflict, which has caused a number of previously confirmed Middle Eastern and European participants to withdraw. Rather than treating this as a setback, the Organizing Committee has reframed it as a strategic opening to deepen ties with China, ASEAN, and the broader Asia-Pacific region — positioning Korea as a pivotal node in an emerging alternative global supply chain architecture.
World-Class International Leadership on Stage
The opening ceremony will draw an unusually high-profile roster of international organization heads. Kim Young-tae, Secretary-General of the OECD International Transport Forum (ITF), will deliver the keynote address, calling decarbonization of global transport systems and AI-driven digital transformation "not a choice, but an imperative" on the road to carbon neutrality by 2050. He has described the Jeju Expo as a "decisive bridge" connecting ministerial-level forum discussions to concrete technological action.
Also taking the stage will be Edmund Araga, President of the Asia Federation of Electric Vehicle Associations (AFEVA), who will present an electrification roadmap for all ten ASEAN member states and propose closer cooperation with Korean industry. Xu Mingming, Chair of the RCEP Regional Industry Cooperation Center (RICC), will address inter-regional supply chain integration, while Zhu Shu, East Asia Director of ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), makes his first official appearance at the Expo to present city-level sustainable mobility solutions.
Additionally, transportation ministers and vice ministers from Sierra Leone and Uzbekistan are among the government delegates scheduled to attend, underscoring the event's reach into emerging markets hungry for electrification partnerships.
FKI Global e-Mobility Summit: Private Sector Takes Center Stage
Among the headline events is the Global e-Mobility Summit, organized by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), which serves as the apex gathering for connecting global capital with Korea's innovation ecosystem. FKI has pledged to "lead private-sector investment and regulatory reform" to position Korea's battery and ICT technologies at the forefront of global supply chain leadership.
The political dimension is equally prominent. Jeju Governor Oh Young-hoon will participate in an honorary capacity, joined by National Assembly representatives from Jeju constituencies. Senior officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries are expected to attend, providing visible government backing to what is framed as a matter of national industrial strategy.
Organizing Committee Chairman Kim Dae-hwan has offered perhaps the event's most quotable line: "Mobility is not simply a mode of transport — combined with AI, it is a massive mobile battery and the core platform for transforming human civilization."
China's Shenzhen Innovation Ecosystem Arrives in Force
China's presence at IEVE 2026 is particularly notable. A delegation led by Chen Huijun, Secretary-General of the Shenzhen Automotive Electronics Industry Association, will engage in direct technology-matching sessions with Korean component manufacturers. The Shenzhen Drone Industry Association will also participate, expanding the expo's scope from ground-level electric vehicles to integrated aerial mobility ecosystems.
On the corporate side, several high-profile product debuts are scheduled: iZtronics Aireon will unveil its iR3 and iR5 models for the first time, Morris will showcase its XR Bus, and XYZ — winner of a technology innovation award — will launch its AI Robot Drive-Thru system. XPeng, a leading force in AI-powered mobility, and EHang, a pioneer in Urban Air Mobility (UAM), round out an impressive exhibitor list.
At the policy level, both China EV100 (the think tank steering China's EV policy) and the CCPIT Automotive Sub-Council (China Council for the Promotion of International Trade) will participate in discussions on Korea–China policy standardization and supply chain coordination.
Beyond Land: The 4th International Eco-Friendly Ship Expo
The 2026 edition broadens its horizon to the ocean, hosting the 4th International Eco-Friendly Ship Expo as a concurrent event. With global maritime carbon emission regulations tightening, Korea's shipbuilding sector is under pressure to accelerate electrification. Jeju — an island surrounded by sea — is well positioned to serve as a proving ground for electric fishing vessels and electric sightseeing boats, and the expo will use this platform to declare Jeju's ambition to become a marine e-mobility demonstration hub.
The Next Generation: Student Competition, Innovation Awards, and Media MOU
The expo's commitment to the future is embodied in the 5th International University Student EV Autonomous Driving Competition, where student teams compete using AI algorithms in a contest designed to build both technical expertise and social responsibility.
Recognition programs include the IEVE Innovation Awards and the GEAN Award, which serve as launchpads for promising startups to access global markets.
On the media front, a trilateral MOU will be signed among the Korea Automotive Journalists Association (KAJA), the China Automotive News Association (CANA), and GEAN — establishing a structured information-sharing network intended to create a unified voice for the e-mobility industry in global markets.
The Pyongyang Dimension: Korean Peninsula EV Forum
One of the more geopolitically intriguing elements of the program is the 9th Pyongyang International Electric Vehicle Expo Promotion Council Roundtable. The forum envisions North Korea not merely as an untapped market but as a potential manufacturing base, exploring a "Korean Peninsula EV Ecosystem" that would combine South Korea's technological capabilities with North Korea's natural resources and labor force. A seven-step roadmap toward holding a privately organized Pyongyang International EV Expo is expected to be formally elaborated at this session.
"2035 Carbon Free Island": Jeju's Vision in Sharpest Relief
The relocation of the event from its previous venue to Jeju Shinhwa World is itself a statement of intent — the organizers call it a shift toward "Resort-style MICE" (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), where substantive dialogue can unfold in a comfortable setting conducive to trust-building and deal-making. Each of the four evenings will feature a VIP business networking dinner.
Through hosting IEVE 2026, Jeju is formally articulating its "2035 Carbon Free Island" vision — a comprehensive plan to interconnect all energy and mobility systems on the island through an AI-driven intelligent platform, turning Jeju into a globally replicable model for sustainable island development.
Chairman Kim Dae-hwan closed his pre-event remarks with characteristic directness: "We are not simply displaying Mobility — we are building a new civilizational platform on which the next generation can freely dream. Despite external variables like the Middle East conflict, this Expo will concentrate all of our capabilities to present new standards for the mobility industry through AI and digital transformation."
Event Information
13th International e-Mobility Expo Organizing Committee Website: https://ievexpo.org Tel: 064-702-1580
Sponsors include: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province; Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR); Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy; Ministry of Science and ICT; Ministry of SMEs and Startups; Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; Ministry of National Defense; Defense Acquisition Program Administration; Korea Association of Metropolitan Cities.
