Wonju Selected Again for Korea’s 2026 Drone Demonstration City Program

Wonju, a city in Gangwon Province, has been selected by South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to participate in the 2026 Drone Demonstration City Construction Project. It is the only Gangwon local government chosen in Korea’s K-drone delivery track for two consecutive years.

The city will again form a consortium with the Wonju Future Industry Promotion Agency and local drone company KATS, continuing the collaboration that supported its initial project.

In the first phase last year, Wonju established a real-time drone monitoring system at Sinlim-myeon Hwangdun Branch Office and at the Wonju Future Industry Promotion Agency, and installed takeoff and landing pads at five camping sites to support delivery infrastructure.

In the second phase, the project aims to diversify delivery items and enable multi-point, simultaneous deliveries to improve operating efficiency. The plan also extends toward public administration applications, including 3D mapping for forest surveillance and safety management.

For U.S. readers, the program signals Korea’s push to scale drone-based logistics and public services, with potential implications for cross-border supply chains, standards for drone operations, and opportunities for international collaboration in autonomous delivery and airspace management. It highlights how local governments and industry partners are piloting drone use beyond commerce, in governance and public safety.

The Drone Demonstration City initiative, run by MOLIT, is part of a nationwide effort to test and validate drone-enabled city infrastructure. Wonju’s continued selection underscores the role of regional authorities and private-sector consortia in advancing drone technology for both delivery and public administration.