Park Jae-hyuk is a seasoned journalist who has provided comprehensive coverage of South Korea's corporate dynamics, economic policies, industry challenges and the global positioning of Korean companies. Based on the articles he has written since joining The Korea Times in 2016, his investigative approach has helped readers understand corporate governance, economic trends and business strategies shaping South Korea’s economy.
NEOM opens website for Seoul exhibition
The website for NEOM's forthcoming exhibition at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul
By Park Jae-hyuk
By Park Jae-hyuk
A website has been opened for NEOM's exhibition to be held in Seoul next week, providing more information about the event and allowing people to register for free entry.
“Discover NEOM: A New Future by Design, hosted at the iconic Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, presents the revolutionary design principles and extraordinary possibilities of THE LINE ― NEOM's flagship city,” the Saudi Arabian company overseeing the project wrote on the website.
“In an exhibition designed around the work of globally recognized architects and urban thinkers, NEOM demonstrates its approach to nature conservation, human livability and progress in the face of a fast-growing urban population, urban sprawl and climate change.”
Since Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced last month that the event will be held between July 26 and Aug. 3 as NEOM's first exhibition in an Asian country, the ministry has remained cautious about disclosing further details.
Although the ministry said in its press release that more information about the exhibition will be available in the newsroom section of NEOM's official website, the information could not be found there as of Tuesday afternoon before The Korea Times' print deadline.
The ministry also unveiled its plan to hold a session introducing Korean companies' technologies to NEOM on the sidelines of the exhibition, but it remains uncertain which firms will join the event.
“We are arranging the introduction session,” an official of the ministry's overseas construction support division said.
The ministry spokesperson said more details about the exhibition will be announced through a forthcoming press release.
Hyundai E&C, which is participating in THE LINE project, said it will participate in the exhibition and meet NEOM officials along with multiple other Korean companies.
“We are invited to a session related to a project to develop the floating port city of Oxagon,” a Hyundai E&C official said.
NEOM announced on its website that the exhibition will unveil the work behind other NEOM regions: Oxagon, Trojena and Sindalah, in addition to THE LINE.
Samsung C&T, which is also participating in THE LINE project, said it has been invited to participate in the exhibition. Naver plans to participate in the exhibition to showcase its robotics and artificial intelligence technologies, both of which can draw attention in Saudi Arabia.
Most other Korean firms, however, remained cautious about confirming their participation, despite their keen interest in joining the $500 billion project to develop the smart city in Saudi Arabia.
Amid their low-key approach, attention is focused on whether the Korean government and companies will begin to promote their participation in the exhibition, following the launch of the event website.