Mayor Lee Mingun Proposes Investment to Spain's URD Group... "Cooperation on Resource-Circulation Technology Demonstration"

Ansan City Holds Investment Presentation for URD Group
Introduces Investment Conditions at Ansan Science Valley
Discusses Cooperation with European Cities and Institutions

Ansan Mayor Lee Min-geun has launched an effort to attract investment by proposing that a Spanish smart-city company use Ansan as a test bed for resource-circulation technologies.

Lee Min-geun, mayor of Ansan, and an economic delegation discuss investment and technology cooperation with global companies at the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) 2026, held in Barcelona, Spain, on the 3rd (local time). Photo provided by Ansan City.

Ansan City said on November 4 that Mayor Lee and an economic delegation attended the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) 2026, held in Barcelona, Spain, on November 3 (local time), and discussed investment and technology cooperation with global companies.

At the Korea Pavilion that day, Mayor Lee held an investment presentation for Spain's URD Group, introducing the industrial base and investment conditions of the Ansan Science Valley (ASV) Free Economic Zone.

Headquartered in Catalonia, URD Group specializes in automated management of urban waste using environmentally friendly technologies. It supplies systems including automated collection systems that transport waste through underground pipelines, solar-powered compacting waste bins, and waste-sorting data analysis technologies to Spain, France, Italy, the Middle East and other markets.

Mayor Lee said that Ansan's urban environment, where large industrial complexes coexist with residential areas, makes it possible to apply resource-circulation technologies in real-world settings. In particular, he proposed cooperation to support URD Group's entry into the Korean market by testing its technologies in connection with the city's smart-city policies.

URD Group Chairman Ramon Roca said, "Ansan is an attractive city for testing resource-circulation technologies because its industrial complexes and residential areas are located side by side," adding, "We will actively consider ways to cooperate to enter the Korean market."

The economic delegation also toured the Korea Pavilion, pavilions of major countries, and exhibition halls of global companies to examine technology trends in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, future mobility, and urban infrastructure.

Ansan Mayor Lee Mingeun and an economic delegation pose with attendees at an investment promotion briefing for URD Group at Smart City Expo World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, on the 3rd (local time). Courtesy of Ansan City.

The delegation shared information on Ansan's industrial base and key policies with European Union officials and discussed cooperation programs with European cities and institutions, as well as the possibility of joint technology testing. At a luncheon meeting with An Seryeong, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Barcelona, they exchanged views on trends among Korean companies operating locally and ways to attract investment in Ansan from European companies.

Mayor Lee said, "We will turn the global technology trends and opportunities to cooperate with global companies and institutions identified at this expo into tangible investment results for the Ansan Science Valley Free Economic Zone."

Ansan City's economic delegation is visiting Spain and Germany on a nine-day, seven-night trip that began on November 2. The Ansan Science Valley was confirmed as a Free Economic Zone in September 2025 and officially launched through a government announcement in January 2026. In July 2025, U.S. semiconductor materials company Entegris opened its Korea Technology Center at Hanyang University ERICA Campus.

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