The UK’ s Intelligent Transport Systems society and its Korean equivalent ITS Korea have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation between their transport technology industries, support business connections and share expertise on improving journeys.
Signed at the ITS World Congress in the Korean city of Gangneung, the agreement renews a partnership first established in 2018. It provides a framework for exchanging knowledge on transport policy and technology, connecting member organisations and encouraging joint development, demonstrations and research.
ITS UK Chief Executive Max Sugarman described the signing as “a recommitment of the value of knowledge sharing, of working together across borders”, highlighting the similarities between the mobility challenges facing the two countries.
Speaking after a visit to Gangneung’s traffic operations centre, Mr Sugarman said both countries were working to improve safety, understand how people use their networks, make journeys more seamless, provide better information and reduce carbon emissions.
“We have a huge amount to learn from each other,” he said.
He added that the agreement would help the two organisations’ memberships “learn from one another, work together, and tackle some of those challenges that we have around mobility together”.
The MoU identifies four areas of cooperation: exchanging information and publications; supporting professional exchanges, seminars and education; collaborating at international events, including ITS World Congresses; and facilitating business networking and joint technology projects.
Department for Transport Head of Road Infrastructure Technology Darren Capes said closer relationships between national ITS organisations also help governments develop better policy.
“Without the ITS sectors of our countries coming together through their organisations, we in government wouldn’t have as clear a view of what technology can do, how technology can help us, how we can write better policy through understanding the ITS sector,” he said.
Mr Capes said ITS UK plays an important role in informing the Department’s policy development, with international links providing opportunities to learn from other countries.
He also praised the morning’s control centre visit, saying he was “very impressed with the way that you’re using technology to deliver better travel and better lives”.
ITS Korea Chairman Mr Cheong-Hoe Heo said the renewal reflected eight years of friendship between the organisations and expressed his hope that relationships developed in Gangneung would continue at next year’s World Congress in Birmingham.
“By signing [the] MoU, it can strengthen our relationship in the future,” he said.
British Embassy Seoul Country Director for Trade and Investment Beth Mckendrick, representing British Ambassador Colin Crooks, placed the agreement in the context of the wider UK–Korea relationship.
“We are two outwardly looking economies with shared interests in innovation, trade, and sustainable growth,” she said.
“By sharing those experiences between our two countries and bringing researchers and companies together, we can help turn promising technologies into better journeys.”
Ms Mckendrick said intelligent transport systems support shared ambitions to connect people and places, improve journeys and deliver greener transport. She also looked ahead to the ITS World Congress at Birmingham’s NEC next October.
Mr Capes invited Korean colleagues to attend, adding: “This has been a fantastic event, and Birmingham will build on the legacy that you’ve established here.”
The agreement runs initially for three years, with provision for annual renewal.
(Picture – ITS UK)
