Global Lineup Expands for 'GWDC 2026 KOREA' Featuring Koo Yun-cheol, Min Byung-deok, Justin Sun, Bithumb, and Naver

The global Web3 developer conference 'GWDC 2026 KOREA', co-hosted by TokenPost, will showcase a large-scale lineup covering global policy, finance, big tech, and the blockchain industry in Seoul this September.

Since its first announcement last month, the roster of speakers and programs has significantly expanded. Notable figures from the policy and finance sectors, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol, Congressman Min Byung-deok, Hong Kong Legislative Council member Johnny Ng, and Chairman of the Asia Economic Development Commission Yoon Seok-hun will participate. Additionally, Justin Sun, founder of Tron, along with representatives from major domestic and international companies and Web3 projects such as Bithumb, Naver, KakaoPay, Microsoft, Animoca Brands, YZi Labs, BNB Chain, and MetaMask will gather in Seoul.

The conference will take place from September 29 to 30 at the aT Center in Yangjae, Seoul, with the 'GWDC HACKATHON 2026 KOREA' for developers kicking off a day earlier on the 28th.

Global Leaders Gather in Seoul from Policy to Exchanges, Big Tech, and Web3

A key feature of this GWDC is that it connects various sectors, including policy, finance, internet platforms, big tech, Web3 infrastructure, and investment, without being limited to a specific blockchain ecosystem.

In the policy and finance sectors, notable participants include Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol, Congressman Min Byung-deok, who proposed the Digital Asset Basic Law, Hong Kong Legislative Council member Johnny Ng, who is actively involved in discussions on Web3 policy in Hong Kong, and former Financial Supervisory Service Chairman Yoon Seok-hun.

From the industry, Lee Jae-won, CEO of Bithumb, Shin Won-geun, CEO of KakaoPay, and Kwon Hyuk-il, co-founder of Naver and Chairman of the Happy Bean Foundation, will be present.

In the global Web3 industry, Justin Sun, founder of Tron, Evan Auyang, President of Animoca Brands, Ella Zhang, Managing Partner at YZi Labs, Jack Kong, founder and Chairman of Nano Labs, and Caspar Wong, CEO of Web3Labs will attend. Ryan Li, Deputy General Manager of Greater China Digital Native Business at Microsoft, will also participate.

The latest lineup also includes representatives from BNB Chain, Injective, Pharos Network, MetaMask, and LG CNS, expanding the scope of the event to include AI and blockchain infrastructure and developer ecosystems.

GWDC plans to discuss the convergence of AI and Web3, the institutionalization of digital assets, global market connections, next-generation blockchain infrastructure, and practical industry applications.

Beyond a 'Talking Conference' to Hands-On Creation: 48-Hour AI×Web3 Hackathon

This year, GWDC is particularly emphasizing the developer program that runs concurrently with the conference.

The GWDC 2026 KOREA hackathon, themed 'For Builders, By Builders', will bring together developers from around the world to Seoul to develop real Web3 and AI projects over approximately 48 hours and present their outcomes. Challenges will be structured around up to five public chain ecosystems, with total support exceeding $100,000.

Prizes and support will consist of $50,000 in cash and $50,000 worth of ecosystem resources. Microsoft will provide qualified projects with Azure cloud credits for up to six months, and winning teams will gain priority access to Web3Labs' global accelerator and incubating programs. Connections with investors and industry partners, as well as exposure to global media, will also be supported.

The event organizers plan to support participating teams from development to testing and deployment through sponsorship from Tron and infrastructure support from Microsoft.

The hackathon will kick off with an opening at 5 PM on September 28 and will continue until the 30th. Live coding will officially start at 8 PM on the 28th, with project submissions due by noon on the 30th. A demo day and final award ceremony will take place on the same day at 3 PM on the Innovation Stage.

Outstanding teams will present their projects in front of executives and technical and ecosystem leaders from public chains, as well as global VC partners, discussing potential follow-up investments and strategic collaborations.

Connecting a Global Ecosystem with Over 8,000 Attendees and 500 Developers in Seoul

GWDC 2026 KOREA is hosted by Web3Labs, with co-hosts Techub News, Hypai Labs, and TokenPost.

The organizers expect over 8,000 attendees, more than 500 key developers, over 100 exhibiting companies, and over 100 investment institutions to participate in this event. This aims to establish an AI×Web3 exchange platform with around 10,000 participants, where policymakers, businesses, investors, and developers can meet simultaneously.

In particular, the collaboration network includes not only global companies, media, and communities but also university blockchain societies, emphasizing the establishment of an ecosystem that connects developer discovery, investment, commercialization, and entry into global markets.

TokenPost aims to connect Korea's digital asset policy and industry network with Hong Kong and the global Web3 ecosystem through this co-hosting. While the previous event focused on connecting policy and industry, this time the expansion of the global lineup and large-scale hackathon has made the structure connecting 'policy → industry → capital → development' more concrete.

The main conference of GWDC 2026 KOREA will be held at the aT Center in Seoul on September 29-30, and the hackathon will take place from September 28 to 30. Developer registration is open until September 25.

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