A two-legged humanoid robot handles logistics tasks at a smart port, while a robot brews coffee for visitors. A stage previewing how AI will transform maritime and logistics sites is being set up in Incheon.
The 7th Incheon International Ocean Forum runs for two days starting June 15 at Songdo Convensia in Incheon. It is co-hosted by the city of Incheon and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and organized by the Incheon Port Authority and Yonhap News Agency. The main theme is "The Future of the Ocean in the AI Era."
The forum this year has placed emphasis on the "Physical AI Exhibition and Experience Zone." Quadruped robots and humanoid robots will directly demonstrate high-difficulty tasks in smart port logistics automation. The distinctive feature is that visitors can experience the technology through robots that physically move, rather than AI on a screen.
The event has also expanded content that visitors can enjoy firsthand. An ice cream robot that makes precisely measured desserts, a robot coffee service linked to name-tag QR codes, and a caricature drawing robot that instantly sketches faces using AI vision sensors will be placed throughout the venue.
The forum opens with keynote speeches by Choi Jae-boong, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University, and Joo Si-hyun, an executive director at Hyundai Motor and Kia. Five regular sessions and one special session will follow. The second day, June 16, is organized as "Incheon Special Day," where academic, industry and policy experts will discuss Incheon's maritime megacity strategy under the theme "Incheon, a Maritime City in the AI Era."
Side events are also varied. An academic seminar on AI-based changes in the port and logistics environment and an AI competition for university and graduate students based in Incheon will be held, and an urban air mobility (UAM) drone aircraft exhibition will take place during the same period.
Lee Han-nam, director general of Incheon's Ocean and Aviation Bureau, said, "We will maximize the synergy between Incheon's maritime assets and AI technology to complete a smart logistics hub," adding, "We ask for your interest in Incheon's journey to leap forward as a leading AI maritime city."
Pre-registration is available on the official website until June 10, and on-site registration is also possible during the event.
