KINTEX: Developing a Global Space Competitiveness by Constructing its Third Exhibition Center

Opening a New Runway for K-Industry

KINTEX is currently constructing its third exhibition center, scheduled for completion in the second half of 2028. This project represents an infrastructure investment aimed at overcoming the structural limitations of the Korean exhibition industry, while also embodying a strategy to steadily attract large-scale global exhibitions and elevate KINTEX on the global stage.
With the completion of the third exhibition center, KINTEX’s total exhibition space will increase from 108,000 square meters to 170,000 square meters. It will also rise from 66th to the top 30 globally in terms of exhibition space, providing KINTEX with the physical capacity to simultaneously accommodate large-scale and multi-purpose exhibitions. This will effectively establish the foundation for KINTEX’s full-fledged entry into the global exhibition market.
For KINTEX, the construction of the third exhibition center is not simply an expansion project; it is a strategic decision that reflects the reality that the competitiveness of the nation’s exhibition industry hinges on the scale of its space. The exhibition center will function as an industrial platform where technology disclosure, market validation, and contract signing can occur simultaneously. It is not simply a space for promotion, but a space where business is completed.

Accordingly, the value of offline space in the exhibition industry is actually increasing even amid the proliferation of digital technology. As of 2025, the scale of the global exhibition industry reached approximately $60 billion, with an average annual growth rate of over 5%.
The problem, however, still lies in Korea’s spatial competitiveness. Exhibition powerhouses like the USA, China, and Europe are leading the global exhibition market with exhibition infrastructure spanning millions of square meters. In contrast, Korea’s total exhibition space is a mere 310,000 square meters, occupying a mere 0.7% of the global overall scale. Compared to its economic size, Korea’s exhibition infrastructure is significantly lagging behind. This gap in space availability is leading to a significant gap in Korea’s competitiveness in the hosting of exhibitions.

The construction of this third exhibition center aims to take this challenge to the next level. Beyond mere quantitative
expansion, it will be transformed into a smart exhibition center utilizing big data and artificial intelligence (AI). With the construction of the new center, visitor flow will be managed through data, further enhancing the efficiency of matching between participating companies and buyers. Furthermore, temperature, lighting, and power will be managed automatically. The goal is to transform all aspects of exhibition center operations into a data-driven system, thereby enhancing efficiency and productivity.

The opening of the GTX-A express train line has also improved accessibility to KINTEX. With the expansion of linked infrastructure, including anchor hotels, and multiplex buildings for parking, the whole area of KINTEX is expected to develop into a self-sufficient MICE complex combining exhibitions, lodging, transportation, and business.
KINTEX’s CEO Lee Min-woo described the construction of the third exhibition center as an expansion of Korea’s business runway, emphasizing, “Exhibition centers are economic infrastructure that connects industries and actualizes contracts. The third exhibition center will serve as a significant opportunity to broaden the physical foundation for domestic companies to compete in the global market.”

Major Exhibitions in 2026

 
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KINTEX to Start Construction of 3rd Exhibition Center in First Half of 2025

Growing as a global exhibition &convention center with an exhibition area of 178,000m2

KINTEX (CEO Lee Jae-yul), the largest exhibition & convention center in Korea, will begin construction of its 3rd exhibition center in earnest in the first half of 2025. With this, the completion of the ‘Basic Plan for the Construction of Comprehensive Exhibition Centers in the Capital Area,’ a national project of the Republic of Korea launched in 1998 to build world-class exhibition centers, seems to be in sight.
KINTEX is currently being operated with its 1st and 2nd exhibition centers. The 1st exhibition center was opened in 2005 with an area of approximately 54,000m2 through the first phase of the project; and the 2nd, the second phase, opened in 2011, is currently being operated with a total exhibition area of approximately 108,000m2.
When the 3rd exhibition center with an area of 70,000m2 is completed, KINTEX will thus have a total exhibition area of 178,000m2. This is a level that ranks about 25th in the world in terms of exhibition area, and can host global events on par with world-class exhibitions such as CES (186,000m2) in Las Vegas, USA; ‘IFA (164,000m2)’ in Berlin, Germany; and ‘MWC (120,000m2)’ in Barcelona, Spain.
Meanwhile, in addition to building the 3rd exhibition center, KINTEX also began fully operating ‘Yashobhoomi,’ the largest exhibition & convention center in India, last year. Since then, it has been attracting and hosting global large-scale events one after another, establishing itself as a hub for global industrial exhibition & convention events representing India and Southwest Asia.
KINTEX’s CEO Lee Jae-yul remarked, “The 3rd exhibition center is to be built to maximize connectivity with the existing 1st and 2nd exhibition centers, and KINTEX will thus become the optimal place to host large-scale international exhibitions & events in the future,” adding “We plan to further strengthen our capabilities as a global exhibition convention center operator, like we have proved ourselves capable of in the operation of Yashobhoomi in India.”

KINTEX-Ambassador Hotel Group Sign Business Agreement for Operation of KINTEX’s Anchor Hotel

KINTEX and the Ambassador Hotel Group recently signed a business agreement (MOU) for the operation of the anchor hotel of the 3rd exhibition center, which is currently under construction.
KINTEX’s the 3rd center’s anchor hotel will be a 4-star tourist accommodation facility with approximately 310 guest rooms on 20 floors with a total floor area of 30,500m2. KINTEX and the Ambassador Hotel Group will operate KINTEX’s 3rd center’s anchor hotel under the Novotel brand of the French global hotel chain of Accor Group, and Ambassador Hotel Group plans to provide international-level accommodation services for the next 20 years.
KINTEX stated that the construction of the anchor hotel and the operation of the ambassador Hotel Group will further enhance the efficiency of exhibition events to be held at KINTEX. In particular, the anchor hotel is expected to play a role as KINTEX’s representative MICE support infrastructure by creating an environment where not only various business customers but also general tourists can stay for a long time.
In addition, Goyang City, where KINTEX is located, is also expecting positive effects on the revitalization of the local economy. Above all, it can be said that attracting a global hotel chain for the first time in Goyang City is a meaningful achievement.
A spokesperson for the Ambassador Hotel Group explained, “We are very pleased that this agreement will not only strengthen the brand value of the Ambassador Hotel Group but also contribute to the development of the local economy and tourism industry,” adding “As hotel experts, we will work closely with KINTEX based on our accumulated know-how and operational capabilities to play an important role in hotel operation, management, and customer service.”
KINTEX’s CEO Lee Jae-yul expressed his thoughts by saying, “We are very pleased to have signed an important agreement with the global hotel brand Novotel that will bear the fruits of the construction of the anchor hotel, a long-cherished project of KINTEX for 20 years,” adding “Through the combination with a global-level hotel, KINTEX will play an even more important role in the Korean MICE industry.”

Major Exhibitions in 2025

 
 
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