Busan declares ambition to become a leading AI city, steps up bid to host ‘Global AI Hub’

[Financial News] Busan City will combine artificial intelligence (AI) with the strengths of maritime capital Busan to drive urban innovation and strengthen industrial competitiveness.
The city will hold a vision proclamation ceremony for “Busan, a Future City Opened by AI” at Nurimaru APEC House on the morning of the 28th, and announce three strategies for a major AI transformation and its strategy for attracting a global AI hub.

The city will set forth “Busan, an AI-leading city where citizens can feel the impact and industry can grow” as its vision, and pursue three strategies: creating an AI city whose benefits citizens can experience, promoting AI transformation to grow industry, and building an AI foundation that powers Busan.
To create an AI city whose benefits citizens can experience, the city will establish a youth AI hub, develop outstanding AI talent and broaden the talent pool, and expand AI services closely connected to daily life in areas such as public administration, welfare, transportation, safety and tourism.
To promote AI transformation that drives industrial growth, the city will pursue a major transformation in maritime AI, the adoption of AI in western Busan’s manufacturing sector (AX), and a cluster for testing and industrializing physical AI, while extending AI transformation to sectors such as biotechnology and content.
To build an AI foundation that powers Busan, the city will establish governance for a major AI transformation, a global AI innovation hub and a southeastern region quantum transformation (QX) cluster, and create an AI innovation belt linking North Port, Centum and Busan Eco Delta City (EDC).
The city will also link office space in Centum City with residential environments in areas such as Busan Eco Delta City to attract a global AI hub, and support data center-based AI computing infrastructure as well as facilities for testing and international cooperation in areas including Busan Port, finance, smart cities and MICE.
To that end, the city will sign a memorandum of understanding with relevant organizations, universities and companies to jointly work toward bringing a global AI hub to Busan, and establish cooperation frameworks in areas including international cooperation, site selection, residential environments, AI infrastructure, joint research and talent development.
Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, “The significance of fostering the AI industry lies in actually changing the lives of citizens and local industries,” adding, “We will bring together industry, academia, research institutions and government to connect office space, residential environments, AI infrastructure, testing sites and MICE facilities, so that Busan can become the optimal location for a ‘Global AI Hub.’”
[email protected] Kwon Byeong-seok Reporter