[Edaily Reporter LEE SEON-WOO ] The “2026 Korea MICE Expo” (KME) will be held from the 17th to the 19th at COEX Magok in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Organized by the Korea MICE Association with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Tourism Organization, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, it is the nation’s only specialized trade show for the MICE industry.

Under the slogan “Different Perspectives Meet, Becoming One MICE,” the event will bring together approximately 5,000 industry professionals seeking new MICE business opportunities. A total of 311 organizations and companies from 12 countries, including South Korea, will set up exhibition booths to conduct on-site promotions and consultations over the three-day period.
Notably, the number of overseas exhibitor booths has nearly doubled compared to last year. The range of participants is diverse, spanning industries and sectors—from the Taiwan and Almaty Tourism Bureaus and the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau to global hotel and resort brands such as IHG, Resort World Sentosa, Sands, Shangri-La, and Melia; exhibition and convention facilities like the Kyoto International Conference Center; and exhibition organizers such as Informa Markets.
The association estimates that overseas participants will number around 400 this year, including buyers from 25 countries. It also anticipates that business consultations over the three-day event will total approximately 5,000, including the 2,400 pre-matched meetings.
Events such as “MICE Wave” and the “Integrated Academic Conference”—featuring forums and conferences with domestic and international industry experts—will also take place. The “MICE Tech Awards,” which recognize outstanding companies in the meeting, venue, and event technology sectors, is a program being introduced for the first time this year. The Korea-China-Japan MICE Forum, themed “Sports MICE,” will be held on the 17th at 4:00 p.m. in the Le West Hall Conference Room on the 4th floor.

On the 18th, at the same venue, sessions hosted by the global event technology and production company Encore and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) will take place, along with the “Tourism and Leisure Industry Resonance Forum” and the “Unpack Show,” which introduces the winners of the MICE Tech Awards. On the 19th, the program will continue with a session by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the “MICE Youth Generation” session featuring four university student groups, and a joint academic conference hosted by three academic societies in the MICE sector.
Shin Hyun-dae, President of the Korea MICE Association, said, “This year, we have focused on expanding the scope of MICE connections through global exchanges, increased youth participation, and the discovery of new technology companies,” adding, “We plan to track the outcomes of business consultations—including whether contracts are finalized—to verify tangible results.”
The KME registration fee (admission fee) is 10,000 won. Those who pre-register online by the 13th can enter for free. For more details about the event, please visit the website.