South Korea to host global printing festival with delegates from 33 countries

South Korea will host a global printing festival bringing together leaders from the world's printing and print-culture industries.

The 2026 World Print Congress General Assembly and International Conference, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korean Printing Culture Association and the Korea Printing Cooperative Federation, will be held Aug. 18 through Aug. 21 at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and in Paju.

Returning to South Korea for the first time in 10 years since 2016, the event carries the theme "A Global Printing Festival Connecting the World Through Hallyu" and is expected to draw about 500 participants, including printing industry representatives from 33 countries and domestic and international industry figures.

An international conference at Kintex on Wednesday will explore the future direction of the printing industry under the theme "Future Vision for the Printing Industry in the Age of AI." The keynote address will be delivered by David Zwang, chairman of the US-based Gantwerk Group, who will survey global trends in the printing industry.

Kieran Little, vice president of UK-based Smithers, will then present on "The Global Outlook for Printing Equipment in the Age of AI," followed by En Kerner, an engineer at Germany's Fogra, speaking on "The Direction of Print Standardization in the Age of AI." Domestic experts will also take the stage: Seo Dong-il, CEO of Prinpia, will address "The Future of the Digital Printing Market in the Age of AI"; Cho Ga-ram, a professor at Dongguk University's Graduate School of Media and Communication, will speak on "Eco-Friendly Printing and ESG Management in the Age of AI"; and Choi Ji-won, CEO of Dongyang Ink, will present on "The Evolution of Printing Ink in the Age of AI."

The international printing equipment exhibition K-Print 2026 will run concurrently throughout the event. After the opening ceremony on Wednesday, participants will tour the exhibition floor to explore the latest technologies and solutions in digital printing, smart automation and eco-friendly materials. A commendation ceremony honoring domestic figures who have contributed to the advancement of the print-culture industry will also be held that day, with citations presented by the culture minister.

On Thursday, participants will visit Prinpia and Today Art in Paju to experience K-Print technology firsthand, and individual business consultations will take place on Friday.

Kim Young-su, first vice minister of culture, sports and tourism, is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony on Wednesday to encourage industry participants.

"The World Print Congress returning to Korea after 10 years is an important opportunity to showcase the strength and technological prowess of K-print culture to the world," Kim said. "The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to actively support the domestic industry in sharing a future vision for the rapidly changing print-culture sector in the age of AI, and in growing through exchanges with global markets."

The World Print Congress, founded in 1989 and headquartered in Belgium, is an organization where printing and related industry figures from around the world gather to discuss the print-culture industry and share views on its development. South Korea became a full member in 2003.