Wonju City Selected as Final 'AI Specialized Pilot City'... Begins Major Transformation with 198.1 Billion Won Investment

Securing 143.4 Billion Won in National Funding

Launching Autonomous Driving and Healthcare Demonstrations

Partnering with Global Companies and Universities Including Hyundai Motor and Saltlux

Building a Future-Oriented Advanced AI Ecosystem

Wonju City in Gangwon Province has declared a major transformation into South Korea's leading artificial intelligence (AI) specialized city.

Wonju City has been finally selected in the 'AI Specialized Pilot City Project' competition hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, securing 143.4 billion KRW in national funding. Provided by Wonju City

On June 18, Wonju City announced that it has been finally selected in the 'AI Specialized Pilot City Project' contest hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, securing 143.4 billion won in national funding. With this selection, the city will officially launch a large-scale national core project with a total project budget of 198.1 billion won.

The 'AI Specialized Pilot City Project' aims to create a 'K-AI City' that enhances citizens' safety and convenience by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into all aspects of urban life, including transportation, safety, and housing. In this contest, Wonju City was selected as the representative for the Gangwon region, and one city from the Daejeon, North Chungcheong, and South Chungcheong region was also selected.

Wonju City received high marks in the contest for proposing its own 'Wonju-style AI Innovation Model,' which maximizes the city's unique geographical and industrial characteristics. The project will go through a one-year master planning phase, followed by four years of intensive implementation from 2027 to 2030.

The priority zone for the AI infrastructure and technology demonstration will be 'Gangwon Wonju Innovation City.' In this area, future mobility services such as autonomous shuttle buses and robo-buses circulating within the innovation city will be introduced. Additionally, 'AI Converged Healthcare Services' will be established, leveraging Wonju City's flagship medical and bio industries.

Advanced systems to ensure citizen safety will also be established. A 'Disaster Safety Service' will be introduced to enable real-time early detection and prediction of urban disaster signs such as wildfires, facility malfunctions, and road hazards. Smart residential services that incorporate physical AI technologies into the living environment will also be promoted.

This project will be carried out by a large-scale consortium that brings together the public sector, private companies, and academia. Wonju City and the Wonju Institute for Future Industry Development will participate alongside leading domestic IT and mobility companies such as Hyundai Motor Company, ESTraffic, Seoul Robotics, Saltlux, and NHN Cloud, as well as Kangwon National University’s Wonju Campus. Through this initiative, the city aims to foster an advanced local AI ecosystem and activate a demonstration testbed, with the dual objectives of securing new growth engines for the region and creating quality jobs.

A Wonju City official stated, "Being selected in this contest is an innovative opportunity for Wonju City to leap beyond its role as a central hub in the midlands and become South Korea's representative AI specialized city," adding, "We will rapidly integrate AI technologies into citizens' daily lives and realize a future-oriented 'AI Innovation City' where the entire urban space operates as an AI platform."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.