"✔️ Opinion Leaders from Industry, Academia, Research Institutes, and Government Declare a Transition to Private Sector–Driven Intelligence

✔️ Momentum Builds for New Industries Combining AI and Physical Space and for a Comprehensive Reform of Data-Sharing Ecosystems

(Connect Daily = Reporter Kim Young-do) The geospatial industry is expected to make 2026 the inaugural year of a major leap forward, powered by privately led Geo-Physical AI engines and accelerating toward the global market.

The Korea Association of Spatial Information Industry (Chairman Kim Seok-jong) and the Korea Geospatial Industry Cooperative (Chairman Kim Hak-sung) jointly hosted the 2026 New Year Gathering on the 14th at the Association’s training center, attended by a large number of representatives from industry, academia, research institutions, and government.

The event was organized to celebrate the Year of the Horse in 2026 and to reaffirm the geospatial industry's commitment to growth and rapid advancement amid a rapidly evolving digital environment.

The Association and the Cooperative have held annual New Year gatherings to strengthen networking among member companies while continuing policy advocacy and support activities aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the geospatial industry.

A banner designed by Chairman Kim Seok-jong bearing the message “Geo AI Red Hare 2026, Charging Forward!” was displayed at the venue, symbolically presenting the industry's vision for the new year.

Industry opinion leaders gathered at the event to exchange New Year greetings and build consensus on changes in the industry environment and key strategic initiatives for 2026.

In particular, the gathering carried symbolic significance as more than a networking event. It served as a strategic forum for declaring a transition toward the era of Geo-Physical AI, where artificial intelligence and physical space converge, while exploring ecosystem changes led by the private sector.

In his New Year’s address, Kim Seok-jong, Chairman of the Korea Association of Spatial Information Industry, stated, “2026 will be a critical turning point as advanced technologies, including Geo AI, begin to spread throughout the geospatial industry in earnest.”

He added, “Innovation and crisis always come together. For those who are prepared for the future, crisis becomes opportunity. In the Year of the Horse, we will charge forward like the legendary Red Hare and lead industrial innovation and growth.”

Kim Hak-sung, Chairman of the Korea Geospatial Industry Cooperative, also emphasized the need for technological advancement and structural reform.

Chairman Kim stated, “The key topic this year is undoubtedly AI. The industry must mobilize all available capabilities to achieve AI-driven automation and real-time data updating.”

In particular, he drew attention by proposing “a comprehensive restructuring of the data distribution framework, including shifting data updating responsibilities to the private sector and enabling the sale of real-time, up-to-date data at fair market prices.”

Political leaders also expressed strong support for the changing paradigm of the geospatial industry.

Rep. Song Seok-jun of the People Power Party stated, “We have moved beyond the era of AI into the era of Physical AI. Building upon the data created by geospatial professionals, we must pioneer even a fifth-dimensional economy.”

Rep. Seo Beom-su also expressed his commitment, saying, “I will work within the National Assembly to ensure that greater national resources are invested in the world of coexistence and harmony enabled by digital twins.”

Former National Assembly Member Cho Myung-hee stated, “I will continue supporting budget allocations and legislative efforts aimed at strengthening advanced industrial infrastructure based on high-precision data for the AI era, including the establishment of national base maps at a 1:1,000 scale.”

Park Jung-soo, Director General for National Geospatial Information Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, declared 2026 to be “the inaugural year of qualitative growth.”

Director General Park remarked, “The time has come to move beyond a public-sector-led data creation model toward an ecosystem in which the private sector takes the lead and the market grows.” He added, “We will focus our policy efforts on creating new markets and services through the convergence of geospatial information with AI, robotics, mobility, and other key industries.”

Representing academia and professional organizations, Bae Tae-seok, President of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography, and Shin Dong-bin, President of the Korea Association of Surveying and Geospatial Information Engineers, also pledged their full support for technological advancement and stronger collaboration across the industry.

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