Gangnam-gu Selected as 'Best City' at Barcelona Smart City Expo WC

Among 63 Countries' Entries, the Only One in Korea... Safety and Recovery Sector

Joseongmyeong, the mayor of Gangnam District, is delivering an acceptance speech at a local event in Spain. (Photo by Gangnam District Office)

Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) announced on the 9th that it was selected as the 'World's Best City in Safety and Resilience' at the 2023 Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) held in Barcelona, Spain on the 8th (local time).

Among 411 entries from 63 countries, Gangnam-gu was the only city in South Korea to be selected as the best city this year, achieving the remarkable feat of having its smart city promotion achievements during the 8th local government term recognized overseas. The case of applying various digital solutions in administration to support vulnerable groups due to population density, aging, and climate change caused by urban acceleration, as well as disaster response, attracted global attention.

The award-winning project, titled "Seamless Urban Resilience for Everyone, Everytime and Everywhere," introduced smart city policies divided into three sub-themes.

First, under "Guaranteeing Digital Rights for All," the project showcased ▲operation of smart lounges for the elderly ▲creation of smart homes and establishment of welfare portals for the disabled ▲and a metaverse youth counseling center for teenagers.

Second, under "Disaster Response Utilizing Digital Technology," it introduced ▲a flood response system using IoT sensors and big data analysis ▲and various disaster response equipment including AI-based closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) installed in super high-rise buildings.

Third, under "Public Safety Without Blind Spots," it presented ▲the establishment of the nation's largest CCTV control center ▲safety solutions for vulnerable groups such as smart streetlights and 24-hour home security services ▲and various information and communication technology (ICT) applications to prevent solitary deaths.

Mayor Jo Seong-myeong of Gangnam-gu said, "Through this award, I hope the vision and values of the smart city proposed by Gangnam-gu will be widely spread in the international community," and added, "We will continue to actively introduce digital solutions to solve various social problems and realize a sustainable smart city Gangnam."