Gwangju City Signs MOU with Seoul National University and Chonnam National University for AI Industry Development and Talent Cultivation

Mayor Lee Yong-seop "Expecting Activation of R&D and Technology Exchange Based on National AI Data Center"

Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City (fourth from the left), is signing a business agreement for the joint development of artificial intelligence and regional innovation platform projects with Oh Se-jung, President of Seoul National University (fifth from the left), and Jeong Seong-taek, President of Chonnam National University (sixth from the left), at the Seoul National University Administration Building Conference Room in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 26th. Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City, Seoul National University, and Chonnam National University have agreed to cooperate in education and research in artificial intelligence fields such as data science, the development of regional innovation platform projects, and fostering related industries.

On the morning of the 26th, Gwangju City, Seoul National University, and Chonnam National University signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of data science and regional innovation platform projects at the main conference room of Seoul National University. Attendees included Mayor Lee Yong-seop, Seoul National University President Oh Se-jung, Dean Cha Sang-gyun of Seoul National University Graduate School of Data Science, and Chonnam National University President Jeong Seong-taek.

Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Data Science, established in 2019 as a specialized graduate school to nurture professionals leading innovative growth, was selected by the Ministry of Education as a base university and offers master's and doctoral programs in data science to cultivate talent.

Chonnam National University was selected last year for the regional innovation platform project, which fosters talent through collaboration among universities, companies, and local public institutions. It is conducting industry-academia cooperation and talent development projects in two core areas: new energy industries and future transportation devices.

Gwangju City initiated this agreement to create synergy between the projects promoted by Seoul National University and Chonnam National University by facilitating cooperation between the city and the two universities for education and personnel exchange, joint research and development, and technology exchange, enabling Chonnam National University to advance as a regional base university for data science.

The main contents of the agreement include ▲ joint research and development and technology exchange in artificial intelligence fields such as data science ▲ support for education, personnel exchange, and venture startups in AI fields ▲ nurturing customized talent for new industries through future-oriented university education innovation ▲ sharing human and material resources and policy development to realize openness and sharing among universities, and other comprehensive matters necessary for mutual development and friendship promotion.

In particular, Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Data Science established the National Manufacturing AI Platform KAMP.AI for digital innovation in the manufacturing industry and is conducting AI education content development and research through an agreement with Google headquarters.

Additionally, it plans to develop integrated master’s and doctoral programs equipped with future medical big data processing and analysis capabilities by establishing a cooperative system with Seoul National University Hospital in the fields of artificial intelligence and precision medicine.

Accordingly, Seoul National University will share its accumulated know-how on data-driven university education and research system innovation and talent development with Chonnam National University (the lead university of the regional innovation platform project) and cooperate with Gwangju City on research, development, and commercialization of a new AI cloud that is low-cost, high-performance, and highly power-efficient.

Furthermore, to smoothly achieve the objectives of the agreement, an operational council composed of practical managers will be established and operated, and active cooperation will be made in human and material sharing such as personnel exchange in the AI field.

They also plan to establish an AI base center within Seoul National University, led by Gwangju City and Chonnam National University.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop of Gwangju said, “This agreement symbolically represents the gathering of strength and wisdom between universities and local governments for the AI industry, a crucial task leading the era. Going forward, Seoul National University and Chonnam National University will become innovative universities with global competitiveness, and our Gwangju hopes this will be an opportunity to leap forward as an AI-centered city supporting Korea as a top AI powerhouse through the activation of research and development and technology exchange based on the national AI data center.”