Gyeongbuk Province recently held the "2026 Gyeongbuk Global Future Mobility Forum" at the Gyeongju HICO (Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center) on September 15, bringing together approximately 200 experts, government officials, industry leaders, and students. Co-hosted by Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongju City, and organized by the Gyeongbuk Technopark, the event aimed to foster the region's future mobility industry, internalize cutting-edge technologies, and strengthen global competitiveness for local automotive component manufacturers through robust government-industry-academia-research cooperation.

The forum operated under the central theme, "Transition of the Future Mobility Industry: Gyeongbuk's Strategy Drawn from Gyeongju." Key figures in attendance included Gyeongbuk Economic Vice Governor Yang Geum-hee, Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young, provincial and city council members, representatives from Gyeongbuk Technopark, local auto parts enterprises, and mobility-focused students. The comprehensive program was structured around special keynote lectures, invited presentations, and an in-depth policy panel discussion.

During the lecture sessions, Hyundai Motor Company Team Leader Park Geun-hyeok outlined the blueprint for electrification technology and future mobility innovations. Following this, Kakao Mobility Director Kim Geun-woo presented strategies on artificial intelligence (AI)-driven autonomous driving transitions, while Volvo Trucks Korea Managing Director Lee Hyun-chul discussed trends in heavy-duty electric trucks alongside collaborative models for Gyeongbuk's future mobility ecosystem.

The event concluded with a policy discussion moderated by Professor Lee Jong-wook from Seoul Women's University. The panel focused on effective response strategies and support directions for Gyeongju's automotive parts companies during this critical transition era toward future vehicles. As traditional internal combustion engine markets shrink globally, local suppliers face urgent demands to pivot toward software-defined vehicles, electrification, and lightweight component manufacturing.

In alignment with national initiatives like the "5-Pole, 3-Special" balanced growth strategy, Gyeongbuk Province is actively combining AI and semiconductor technologies through close collaboration with industry giants like Hyundai Motor. This partnership is designed to invigorate the regional auto parts industrial belt. By centering future growth on core component manufacturing, robotics, semiconductors, secondary batteries, and technical internalization, the province aims to reinforce its status as a key hub for advanced manufacturing.

Gyeongbuk Economic Vice Governor Yang Geum-hee emphasized the significance of the event, stating that the forum serves as a vital platform for local auto parts companies to collaborate, devise survival strategies, and gain strong motivation for enhancing advanced technical capabilities in future mobility—a crucial new growth engine. She reaffirmed the provincial government's unwavering commitment to leading regional industrial transformation, reviving manufacturing through cutting-edge technological convergence, and stimulating the local economy.

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