Lee Wontae Vows to Make North Jeolla Korea’s Special Capital of Physical AI

Building an AI and Robotics Ecosystem Centered on Saemangeum
Presenting an Integrated Industrial Map Linking Jeonju, Gunsan, Iksan, and Gimje

Lee Wontae, Governor-elect of North Jeolla Special Self-Governing Province, announced on June 18 that he aims to transform North Jeolla into a core hub for Korea’s physical AI industry and, based on this foundation, establish a "Physical AI·Robot City."

Joint Launch Ceremony of ‘Republic of Korea Physical AI Mecca, Saemangeum and Jeonbuk’ held at Seoul City Hall Multipurpose Hall on the 18th.
Photo by Won-Taek Lee, Representative-elect's Office

On the same day, attending the joint launch ceremony of "Korea Physical AI Mecca, Saemangeum and Jeonbuk" held at the Multipurpose Hall of Seoul City Hall, Lee stated, "Saemangeum is emerging as a new stage for future industries," adding, "We will lay the groundwork for North Jeolla to grow into a leading region for the physical AI and robotics industries."

This event was hosted by the Central Association of North Jeolla Residents and organized by the North Jeolla Physical AI Special Committee. Participants shared the vision of "North Jeolla, the Special Capital of Physical AI in Korea" and discussed strategies for fostering the industry.

With Hyundai Motor Group’s recent investment plans in Saemangeum and the successive announcements of projects to establish a physical AI ecosystem, North Jeolla is increasingly being recognized as an ideal location for related industries. Physical AI refers to technologies where artificial intelligence is combined with robots or machinery to perform tasks in actual industrial settings.

Governor-elect Lee also introduced a plan to build a physical AI ecosystem connecting the industrial strengths of various regions in North Jeolla. Jeonju and Wanju will serve as research and development hubs, focusing on the AI Reliability Innovation Hub and a physical AI demonstration complex, while Gunsan will be responsible for commercial mobility and autonomous driving demonstration infrastructure.

Saemangeum will be fostered as a key industrial hub for robot manufacturing and AI data centers. Iksan will pursue a region-specific strategy centered on food tech industries based on the National Food Cluster, while Gimje will focus on agricultural robots and agricultural machinery demonstration.

Lee emphasized, "With its abundant renewable energy, North Jeolla is equipped to realize a new industrial model that combines AI with advanced manufacturing," adding, "The physical AI industry will become a future growth engine for North Jeolla."

Participants at the event also expressed optimism about North Jeolla’s industrial competitiveness.

Kwak Younggil, president of the Central Association of North Jeolla Residents, said, "North Jeolla is a region with a manufacturing base and an environment for collaboration with research institutions," noting, "It has great potential to grow as a center for physical AI demonstration and innovation." Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young also stated, "North Jeolla is taking the lead in establishing the nation’s first physical AI demonstration city and is showing new possibilities for industrial innovation," expressing the government’s commitment to provide support. In a written congratulatory message, Kim Minseok also conveyed, "We will support the construction of infrastructure, regulatory improvements, and talent cultivation so that North Jeolla can grow into a hub for global future mobility and advanced industries."

Meanwhile, Governor-elect Lee plans to use this launch ceremony as a starting point to continue investment promotion activities by visiting related companies such as LG Electronics, SK Telecom, Naver, NC AI, and Rainbow Robotics through August.

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