Land Ministry to hold 2026 Road Day ceremony, share vision for future infrastructure

South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Road Association announced Tuesday they will hold the 2026 Road Day ceremony at the Construction Association building in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

This year's ceremony will be held under the theme "AI and Digital Innovation — Meeting the New Mobility Era! Safe and Sustainable K-Road!"

Land Minister Kim Yun-deok and Korea Road Association President Yoo Jeong-hun, who also serves as president of Korea Expressway Corp., are expected to attend along with about 500 officials from the road and transport sector. At the ceremony, 14 individuals who have contributed to the development of the road industry will receive government decorations and citations, including presidential and prime ministerial commendations, while 39 others will receive ministerial commendations. The top government honor, the Bronze Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, will go to Kim Ki-sung, president of Hicon Engineering Co., in recognition of his 34 years of contributions to building the national trunk transport network and advancing road technology through public fiscal projects and private investment initiatives.

A policy seminar jointly organized by three bodies — the Korea Road Association, the Korean Society of Road Engineers and the Korean Society of Professional Engineers for Road — will be held alongside the ceremony. The seminar, themed "AI Mobility Services and Eco-Friendly Energy Road Infrastructure," will feature presentations on future strategies for a sustainable road industry and in-depth discussions among academic and industry experts.

"If the Gyeongbu Expressway supported South Korea's economic growth during the industrialization era 56 years ago, the road and transport sector must now evolve in line with rising public expectations and the AI and digital transformation," Minister Kim said. "We will pursue changes that people can feel and sustainable innovation, while making safety the top priority throughout the entire process."

Road Day was established in 1992 to commemorate the opening of the Gyeongbu Expressway on July 7, 1970, which served as a driving force behind South Korea's economic growth.