Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook Says Ulsan's Future Depends on Industrial AX and an Energy Hub

【Financial News Ulsan=Reporter Choi Soo-sang】 Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook outlined plans to make industrial artificial intelligence transformation and the creation of an energy hub the city's growth strategy.
At the '10th Central-Local Cooperation Meeting' held on the 26th in the Chungmu Room at Cheong Wa Dae, Mayor Kim presented Ulsan's key future growth strategies and asked the government for active support.
The meeting was attended by President Lee Jae-myung, the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers and provincial governors. It lasted about 110 minutes and included reports on four agenda items: central-local cooperation under the 9th elected local governments, the government's plan to promote local-led growth, measures to foster regional growth engines linked to the three major mega-projects, and fiscal investment directions for balanced regional growth. It also featured presentations of growth strategies by local governments and an open discussion.
At the meeting, Kim highlighted 'building a nexus for Korea's industrial artificial intelligence transformation (AX)' and 'creating a Northeast Asian energy hub' as Ulsan's core growth strategies. He said the city would combine its manufacturing base with AI capabilities to lead industrial AI transformation, while strengthening energy logistics, storage and eco-friendly energy supply infrastructure to contribute to national growth and energy security.
In the discussion that followed, he stressed the need for policy support tailored to Ulsan's conditions in connection with the 'measures to foster regional growth engines linked to the three major mega-projects' and the government's plan to promote local-led growth.
Kim said, "I will bring together Ulsan's manufacturing sites, companies' experience in digital transformation and the research capabilities of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) to make Ulsan the center of Korea's industrial artificial intelligence transformation demonstrations." He added, "I hope the government will show active interest and support for expanding power grids and industrial land for corporate investment and talent retention, as well as for improving living conditions such as taxes, finance, transportation, healthcare and education."
Meanwhile, the government officially announced regional growth engines as a follow-up to the 'Five Poles, Three Special Zones National Balanced Growth Strategy' unveiled earlier in the day. In the Southeast Region of Korea, including Ulsan, Busan and South Gyeongsang Province, four sectors were confirmed as growth engines: advanced shipbuilding and shipping, innovative manufacturing for future mobility, aerospace and defense, and next-generation nuclear power and energy.


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