Saudi property expo delay disrupts Naver’s robot debut

Naver’s planned unveiling of its first outdoor autonomous delivery robot in Saudi Arabia has been delayed after organizers postponed Cityscape Global 2026, a major international property and urban development exhibition in Riyadh, until February amid regional security concerns.

The event, originally scheduled for Nov. 16?19 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, has been rescheduled for Feb. 1?4, 2027, according to industry sources Tuesday. The venue remains unchanged, while the 2027 edition is still scheduled for Nov. 15?18.

Organizers said the change was intended to provide the best possible environment for exhibitors, partners and visitors but did not specify a reason.

Middle Eastern media outlets, including Bahrain’s Gulf Daily News, reported that organizer Tahaluf postponed the exhibition amid continuing regional tensions. Tahaluf is a joint venture involving British events company Informa and Saudi partners.

Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, prompting the postponement of several major international events. The Future Investment Initiative, often called “Davos in the Desert,” was also postponed until next year shortly before its scheduled opening in late October.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry raised its travel advisory for all of Saudi Arabia to Level 3, recommending departure, in mid-October.

Naver has been monitoring the situation while continuing its Saudi operations with a minimal number of employees on the ground. Most personnel are reportedly working remotely from South Korea or neighboring countries.

The postponement affects a key showcase for Naver’s expanding robotics business in the Middle East.

The South Korean technology company had planned to introduce Nuri, its first outdoor autonomous delivery robot developed by Naver Labs, through video and 3D presentations at Cityscape Global.

Naver conducted approximately two weeks of trial operations with Nuri at a smart residential development in Riyadh in September. It has also been discussing potential robot services for large housing complexes with Saudi authorities, including the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing.

Naver has participated in Cityscape Global for two consecutive years since 2024, using the exhibition to promote its urban technology business.

Its Saudi expansion began with digital twin technology, which creates virtual replicas of physical cities to simulate conditions such as traffic congestion and flooding.

In 2023, Naver won a contract from Saudi Arabia’s municipal and housing authorities to develop digital twin platforms for major cities. It completed platforms for Mecca, Medina and Jeddah in 2025.

In August 2026, Saudi Arabia’s Digital Government Authority selected Naver’s platform as the country’s national digital twin standard platform.

Naver is now extending its government-focused technology business into consumer services.

On Oct. 29, its joint venture with Saudi Arabia’s National Housing Company, Naver Innovation, launched a beta version of Balady+, a locally tailored mapping application.

Naver plans to gradually add restaurant reservations, food delivery and ticket booking services, developing Balady+ into a map-based superapp.

The Cityscape postponement delays Naver’s planned public showcase of Nuri but leaves its broader Saudi technology projects underway.