Minister Yoo Il-ho of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. (Photos:MLTM)

Thousands of road transport stakeholders from around the world, including about 50 ministers or vice ministers and top leaders from public and private organizations, will descend on Seoul to participate in the 25th edition of the World Road Congress Nov. 2-6. 

The Congress will be held at COEX under the theme of “Roads and Mobility - Creating New Value from Transport.” 

Dozens of sessions at the five-day event will allow participants to get a broad and global picture of the current situation of the road sector and its main challenges for the future. This Congress offers a unique opportunity to strengthen one’s knowledge and expand one’s network, while enjoying the discovery of Korea’s state-of-the-art technologies in road transport, as well as its exceptional blend of tradition and modernity, thanks to special events leaving participants with unforgettable memories of Korea.

A total of 25 ministers and 11 vice ministers accepted the invitation as of Oct. 17. They are from Australia, Burundi, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Hungary, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Kingdom of Thailand, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Niger, Pakistan, Republic of Bulgaria, Republic of Malta, Republic of Paraguay, Republic of South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, Swaziland, The Philippines, The United States, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

The huge event attracts road experts from member countries of Permanent International Association of Road Congresses (PIARC) assembling to take up such issues as the exchange of road management technologies and policies. The event is considered the biggest gathering in the areas of road construction and management technology in the world.

Launched in 1909, PIARC is one of the largest international organizations, and its congress is held every four years with ministers and vice ministers from 50 of the member countries and representatives from 110 member nations totaling some 1,100 in attendance to discuss various issues on roads including management technology and construction.

At the event, Korean road construction and management technologies will be shown to the world, boosting chances for road construction firms to line up road projects overseas. In order to bring that about, the Korean organizing committee made up of various professionals from many areas including academics, business, journalism and the government will be launched to make the global event a great success.

Korean Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Y00 il-ho, in a message on the website of this Congress, said, “Many countries including Korea still focus on increasing the road network in quantity simply to save distribution costs. We have experienced that such reckless expansion can result in damaging the natural environment or aggravating social conflicts. It is now time for us to step up to the next stage and search for new values of roads based on our creativity and countless invaluable experiences. That is why the 25th World Road Congress in Seoul is titled “Roads and Mobility - Creating New Value from Transport.”

Minister Yoo said, “Throughout the world, attempts are made to actualize the new values which lie in the road transportation. The evolution and convergence of information and communications technology act as the catalyst for creating new values. If you participate in the 25th World Road Congress, you can encounter all the latest road technologies currently implemented in Korea including the smart transportation systems. In particular, you can experience one of the world’s most successful public transportation system, since the Congress will be held in Seoul - a large city populated by some 10 million citizens.”

The World Road Congress 2015 is hoped to strengthen the international image of Korea’s highways and other roads, along with the technologies for their management and construction, and be a turning point for the public’s understanding of highways and related industries in Korea.

The opening session, to be held on Nov. 2, will enhance the Congress theme “Roads and Mobility — Creating New Value from Transport” and give the participants a taste of the host country’s know-how in road engineering as well as in culture and hospitality. The closing session on Nov. 6 will present the main outcomes of the Congress sessions and discussions as well as an outline of the strategic directions for PIARC next working cycle (2016-2019). Forthcoming major international congresses will be introduced with a handover to the host country of the 26th World Road Congress in 2019. A ministerial meeting is slated for Nov. 2 as part of the plenary session.

The logo of the World Road Congress Seoul 2015, to be held at COEX, Seoul, from Nov. 2-6.