The "Smart Energy Plus (SMART ENERGY PLUS·SEP) 2026," regarded as Korea's largest private-sector-led energy and mobility technology Daejeon, opens on the 28th. Held at Hall B of COEX in Seoul Samsung-dong through the 30th, this event is co-hosted by Money Today and COEX, and organized by the National Assembly Hydrogen Economy Forum.
The themes are "Energy Daejeon Transition in the AI (Artificial Intelligence) Era" and "Energy Security Amid Rapidly Changing International Conditions." These themes reflect the current era in which sustainable "smart energy" is directly linked to AI competitiveness and security.
The opening ceremony, scheduled from 10:10 a.m. on the 28th, will be attended by Kang Ho-byung, CEO of Money Today; Jo Sang-hyun, CEO of COEX; and other business leaders. President Lee Jae-myung had previously presented a vision for "a new economic growth driver combining AI with energy power grids" through a congratulatory message read on his behalf by then Cheong Wa Dae Communications Chief Lee Gyu-yeon at "SEP 2025," which was held last year.
Immediately following the opening ceremony, the "Army Energy Policy Forum" will take place. Approximately 200 attendees are expected, including government officials such as Hur Seong-mu, a National Assembly member (Democratic Party of Korea) affiliated with the National Assembly Hydrogen Economy Forum, and Oh Il-yeong, Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Office at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment; representatives from the Ministry of National Defense, United Nations Command, the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and the U.S. Eighth Army; as well as industry, academia, and research institute officials. At this event, the Army will sign a multilateral MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) for next-generation energy cooperation with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, and the Korea University of Science and Technology.
At the forum, Yoon Soon-jin, Dean of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at Seoul National University; Yang Deok-joon, Head of the Logistics Demand and Energy Policy Division at the Army Headquarters; and Shim Hyeon-seop, Director of the Energy Solution Business Center at Hanwha Aerospace, will exchange views on "energy security." In a pre-interview with Money Today, Dean Yoon emphasized that "military energy transition is a security challenge aimed at enhancing energy resilience to sustain operations even in the face of climate disasters and energy supply crises," adding that "we must build a distributed energy system combining renewable energy, storage devices, and microgrids to simultaneously achieve carbon neutrality and energy security."
In addition to the main conference, an "Open Stage" forum has also been arranged. An SMR (Small Modular Reactor) special session will be held from 2 p.m. on the 28th. Yoo Hyang-geun, Team Leader of the Energy Solution Business Division at SK Innovation; Jeon Dae-sik, Head of the Original Electrical Technology Team in the Energy Solution Business Department at Samsung C&T; Jung Jae-wook, Team Leader of ETF Management Team 3 at Samsung Asset Management; Lee Kang-heon, CEO of RX (Ar-X); and Jang In-sook, Head of the SMR Safety Division at the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, will explore the potential of SMRs as a power source in the era of the AI data center boom.
The exhibition, which runs for three days, will feature booths from companies such as LG Group, HD Hyundai Electric, Doosan Enerbility, and Yuneec, as well as institutional investors including the Army, Seoul City, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, and the Korea Machinery Research Institute. LG Group is set to exhibit next-generation heat pumps; HD Hyundai Electric will showcase eco-friendly ultra-high-voltage power equipment solutions; Doosan Enerbility will display nuclear power plant, SMR, and gas turbine technologies; and Yuneec will present wind turbine technologies. Hyundai Rotem will create a space where visitors can experience hydrogen fuel cell trams through VR (Virtual Reality).
In the separately arranged mobility zone, eco-friendly vehicle LINEups can be viewed on site. The Hyundai Motor Group's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle Nexo and Kia PV5 will be exhibited first. Mercedes-Benz Korea will showcase its recently launched electric vehicle, "The All-New Electric CLA." BMW Korea will display two units of the electric vehicle "The New BMW iX3," which has been gaining popularity since its recent domestic launch, while Audi Korea will exhibit the electric vehicle "Audi A6 e-tron."
In addition, visitors can see △ Porsche Korea's pure electric sports car "Taycan GTS" △ Polestar Korea's electric vehicle "Polestar 4 Coupe" △ GM's global premium automotive brand Buick's PHEV (Plug-in HYBRID) "Electra E7" △ and Lexus Korea's flagship premium sedan ES, specifically the fully redesigned 8th generation model "All New ES 350e."
Coinciding with 'SEP 2026,' the K-Space Forum (on the 28th), K-Premier Deep Tech Festa (on the 29th), and Startup King of Kings Tournament (on the 30th) will also be held.
in INDUSTRY
