The Korea e-Sports Industry Association is set to host its Spring Conference on April 10th at the Hocheon Hall of Seoil University, focusing on 'Strategies for the Development of the e-Sports Industry by Local Governments.'

With the 6.3 local elections on the horizon, this conference aims to connect with the '5-Special, 3-Pole Growth Engine' strategy pushed by the Lee Jae-myung administration, offering regional blueprints to spark e-sports growth.

The e-sports industry is expanding beyond gaming into a future-facing sector where culture, tourism, education, and technology converge. Accordingly, the conference seeks policy directions that allow local governments and communities to grow together. Key discussions will focus on decentralizing the industry from its Seoul-centric structure to boost regional development and create jobs for the youth.

The event kicks off with an opening ceremony and a keynote speech, followed by presentations on the state of e-sports across the nation. Professor Song Seok-rok from Kyungdong University will deliver the keynote on 'The Role of Local Governments in the e-Sports Industry.' This will be followed by regional presentations: Gangwon (Dr. Kim Tae-dong, Gangwon Institute), Yeongnam (Professor Seo Dong-hwi, Catholic University of Daegu), Honam (Professor Jeong Yeon-cheol, Honam University), Chungcheong (Professor Kim Se-yoon, Dankook University), Gyeongin (Professor Kim Yong-bin, Osan University), and Seoul (Professor Heo Geon-sik, Seoil University).

The academic sessions will cover topics such as training effects for disabled e-sports athletes, analysis of Asian Games e-sports title shifts, 'sportainment' strategies for events, and AI-based judging systems, fostering discussions that integrate industry, academia, and policy. The final panel, moderated by Professor Kim Min-kyu of Ajou University, will feature Seoul National University's Professor Kim Ki-han and senior researcher Jo Hyun-ju from the Korea Institute of Sport Science.

The 2026 Republic of Korea e-Sports Contest awards ceremony is also on the agenda. It aims to scout university talent for the future of e-sports content, covering four categories: ▲Game Art (Character/Background Design) ▲Webtoon (Story-based content) ▲AI Art (Generative AI works) ▲AI Animation (Video production).

The conference will also discuss cooperation between the industry and academia. Lee Sang-hoon of Punchline Film, Gook Ki-bong of Sidewalk Entertainment, and Yoo Young-jin of Asprit are joining in to propose cooperative models that connect academic research with the real-world industry to build a sustainable e-sports ecosystem.

Professor Park Eun-ae of Baekseok University of Arts, representing the e-Sports Content Innovation Committee, noted, "This conference is a space for local governments, academia, and the industry to discuss practical strategies to make e-sports a new regional growth engine. We are confident the creative talent and content unearthed from the contest will be vital assets for the industry's future."