"We will bring this opportunity to visitors not only to provide information about the present and future of automobiles, but also give the younger generation a chance to explore their own future and career," Kim Yong-geun, the head of the organizing committee, told a press briefing.

A total of 27 automobile manufacturers will be participating in the event, with 9 domestic makers and 18 foreign rivals including Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp.; GM Korea Co.; Nissan Motor Co.; Jaguar Land Rover and Lexus, the committee said.

German commercial vehicle maker MAN S.E. will join as a new member, while US-based electric car producer Tesla Inc., set to begin its first car sales in Korea in May, was not included on the participant list. 

Hyundai Motor's high-end lineup Genesis and Mercedes-AMG will appear as independent brands, it added.

The exhibition hall will have some 300 vehicles on display, with two models awaiting their first global launch and 17 others to be rolled out for the first time in Asia.

Naver Corp., South Korea's No. 1 search engine operator, plans to present its first self-driving vehicle, jumping in the global race for its development led by Google Inc.

The event will show a wide range of electric and plug-in hybrids, offering visitors free trial rides as part of efforts to provide new experiences, the committee said. (Yonhap)