Yangcheon-gu Draws Over 75,000 Visitors in Three Days at 'Y Education Expo'

AI and Robotics Experiences, Lectures, and Competitions Draw Enthusiastic Participation

Yangcheon-gu, Seoul announced on the 18th that the "Y Education Expo 2026," which was held around Yangcheon-gu Office from May 14 to 16, concluded successfully, with a total of 74,533 students, parents, and teachers from across the country attending.

Overview of Yangcheon-gu 'Y Education Expo 2026' held from the 14th to the 16th of this month. Provided by Yangcheon-gu.

Now in its fourth year, the expo was held under the theme "AI Big Bang: Borderless Education, Limitless Learning" at locations including Yangcheon-gu Office, Yangcheon Park, Haenuri Town, and the Community Sports Center. Despite daytime temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius, venues for AI experiences, career counseling, lifelong learning lectures, and youth competitions were filled with participants.

The main highlight was the “AI Future Ground” on the lawn square of Yangcheon Park. Hyundai Motor's Boston Dynamics showcased its four-legged robot “Spot,” along with the barrier-free delivery robot “Robin” and various humanoid robots. At the Tesla “Cybertruck” exhibition area, visitors lined up for commemorative photos. Cutting-edge technology booths such as AI stock investment simulations, AI Go and Omok, AI music composition, and VR/Smart Glasses experiences also received enthusiastic responses.

The lectures and forums served as arenas for public discussion on the direction of education in the AI era. Sam Richards, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, emphasized in his online live lecture, “In the age of artificial intelligence, human creativity and independent thinking become even more important.” The “Y-Education Forum,” chaired by Taewoong Park, Chairman of Noxa Forum, featured panelists such as Professor Sangwook Lee of Hanyang University, mathematician Changjun Lee, and Professor Sam Richards, who discussed the importance of education and the ability to ask questions in the AI era. Other lectures that drew attention included “Star Mentor” by neuroscientist Dongseon Jang, and the “Career Talk Concert” by comedian Dongmin Jang and KAIST's Seongbeom Heo.

The “AI Talent Development Center,” introduced for the first time this year, offered AI simulation-based career aptitude analysis and career planning programs. Over 1,500 people attended the “College Entrance Strategy Seminar” by admissions expert Yun Gungu and the “Y-Teachers” lectures by EBS star instructors Juseok Shim and Hyejeong Yoon.

Three nationwide youth competitions were also held. In the “National AI English Speech Competition,” with the theme “Making a Better World with AI,” Ji-yu Lee (Mokdong Middle School) won the grand prize in the middle school division, and Sehun Oh (Minjok Leadership Academy) won the high school division. In the “National Math Structure Competition,” the “Kiwoom Team” (Daegu Sawol Elementary, elementary division), “Island Boys Team” (Branksome Hall Asia, Jeju, middle school division), and “Invention and Robot Team” (Seongnam High School, Seoul, high school division) each won the grand prize. In the “National Youth Drone Soccer Competition,” which featured 24 teams from across the country, the “Kyungwoon University Drone Team” from Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, took the championship.

Lifelong learning programs that spanned all generations also received positive responses. Middle-aged and senior citizens participated in AI passport photo creation, AI street exhibitions, and a writing contest for seniors, while lifelong learning lectures by Ilyong Kwon, Inpyo Cha, and Jaeyeon Park fostered intergenerational empathy. Family visitors flocked to the “Kids Play Zone” for children and the outdoor movie theater “Y Cinema Theater.” On the final day, Beatpella House, Stella Jang, and N.Flying performed on the K-POP concert stage, bringing the expo to a close.

Students participating in the 'National Youth Drone Soccer Competition' are concentrating on the game. Provided by Yangcheon District.

Launched in 2023 as the first nationwide education expo led by a local government, the “Y Education Expo” has addressed contemporary topics such as “Future Education,” “Public Education Outside of School,” “Green Schooling,” and “AI.”

An official from the district stated, “The Y Education Expo is growing into South Korea’s leading future education platform, where people can directly experience and reflect on the future competencies needed in a changing era. We will continue to do our best to create an educational environment where everyone can enjoy opportunities for learning, as a future education city that connects education and technology, people and cities.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.