Mayor Lee Gang-deok Visits the U.S. ... Exploring the Development of Shinshinup Innovation City Pohang Soaring to the World

Visit to Leading New Industry Cities such as CES2023, Apple Headquarters, Silicon Valley, and Innovation Park

Discovering Development Plans Linked to Pohang's Future Core New Industries, Expecting Strengthened Exchange and Cooperation

Pohang City Hall.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Pohang City announced that it will form a delegation of about 20 people, including Mayor Kang-deok Lee, to visit the United States from the 3rd to the 17th to explore development plans for future new growth industries.

This visit was made to seek development plans linked to future new growth industries such as discovering joint projects in new industry fields and attracting investment in innovative companies, and to establish a system of exchange and cooperation with the U.S.

The delegation will be minimized focusing on key related departments and will concentrate on visiting innovative cities leading global industries such as Las Vegas, Silicon Valley, Pittsburgh, and San Diego.

The delegation will first visit Las Vegas for the ‘CES (International Consumer Electronics Show) 2023,’ which is held normally for the first time in three years and is attracting worldwide attention.

‘CES 2023’ is a ‘ground of innovation’ leading global trends such as future technologies and advanced products, making it easy to grasp next-generation industry trends and demands. It is the world’s largest technology exhibition attended annually by thousands of CEOs of domestic and international companies, as well as experts from academia and industry in various fields.

Accordingly, major domestic companies such as Samsung, LG, and SK, as well as major local governments including Seoul, Busan, Daegu, and Hwaseong, have confirmed participation this year, promoting close business collaboration such as discovering new businesses linked to future core industries and proposing investments.

In particular, this year, for the first time, the ‘Pohang Pavilion’ will be established, and together with the Gyeongbuk Pavilion and POSTECH Pavilion, about 30 local companies will participate in CES 2023. This is expected to enhance practical competitiveness at the corporate level for discovering and preoccupying new markets in the future, such as expanding overseas market channels, securing buyers, and strengthening export capabilities.

Next, the delegation plans to visit the headquarters of the global innovative company ‘Apple’ in Silicon Valley to discuss specific development plans linked to new industries, such as attracting the Apple Innovation Center and manufacturing plants in the future.

Apple has the world’s first ‘Manufacturing R&D Center’ in Pohang, and the country’s first ‘Developer Academy’ annually nurtures new innovative talents. Through this headquarters visit, the city plans to propose business expansion and suggest new investments, aiming to solidify its position as an ‘Apple City.’

The delegation will visit ‘Pittsburgh,’ which is leading the transition from steel-centered industry to future new industries, to discuss economic exchange and cooperation across all new industry fields, including investment proposals and human exchanges. Based on the similarities in urban growth processes and future visions between the two cities, they expect synergy effects through building a close network.

In San Diego, the last city on the U.S. visit schedule, the delegation will visit the Corporate Innovation Park and local startup companies to benchmark growth-stage support systems, investment know-how, and startup incentives for building a self-sustaining startup ecosystem. They will explore integration methods and promotion strategies for creating a ‘Pohang-type innovative startup ecosystem,’ including the ESG Global Corporate Innovation Park and startup cluster construction promoted by the city.

Mayor Kang-deok Lee said, “Pohang, which is emerging as a future core new industry hub city, is expected to have an opportunity to further strengthen its internal and external competitiveness through this U.S. visit,” and added, “We will strive to lay the foundation for ‘Global New Industry City Pohang’ that leaps onto the world stage.”