SEOUL, South Korea, June 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — To further deepen exchanges and cooperation among global business districts in the fields of digital economy, urban renewal, and ecological synergy, the “Innovation Seoul” — Global Business Districts Seoul Exchange Event, co-hosted by the Global Business Districts Innovation Club (GBD Innovation Club) and the Beijing Central Business District (Beijing CBD), was successfully held on the morning of June 18 in Gangnam District, Seoul.
Representatives from the GBD Innovation Club, Beijing CBD, and Gangnam District engaged in friendly and constructive exchanges.
During the exchange session, Mr. Michael Edwards, Senior Advisor of the GBD Innovation Club, Mr. KIM Inhee, Director of Urban Planning of Seoul Gangnam District, and representatives from Beijing CBD delivered speeches. Ms. Julia Solodova, Secretary of the Secretariat (Paris) of the GBD Innovation Club, moderated a thematic salon. Participants held in-depth discussions on smart cities, global innovation, and ecological collaboration.
The year of 2026 marks the 34th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea, with bilateral relations continuing to develop in a stable and healthy manner. Since establishing sister-city relations in 1993, Beijing and Seoul have maintained extensive and pragmatic cooperation in trade, culture, science and technology, and environmental protection. As core business districts of both countries, Beijing CBD and Gangnam District share highly aligned functional positioning. This event further advanced practical cooperation and deepened bilateral ties.
The GBD Innovation Club, a globally influential non-profit international organization, is dedicated to promoting coordinated development among business districts worldwide. As the Chair Institution of the Club, Beijing CBD will continue to leverage its platform advantages to promote resource sharing and industrial collaboration among members and to build an open, inclusive, and mutually beneficial global cooperation network for business districts.
This year, the Beijing CBD Forum held its first series of events in Seoul, South Korea, under the theme “Dialogue with the World, Jointly Shaping Development,” aiming to explore new models of regional co-construction, gather diverse perspectives, and foster collective wisdom to jointly build an efficient and open global innovation landscape.
In the afternoon, delegates visited ASEM Tower and surrounding business districts, Josun Palace Centerfield, and explored Gangnam’s economic corridor along Teheran-ro. On the following day, they attended NextRise 2026 and visited the Centre Pompidou Hanwha Seoul museum, gaining insights into Korea’s innovation ecosystem and cultural integration.
