Mayor Kang Gijeong: "Gwangju's Strategic Choice is to Become an AI and Future Car City"

Presentation at the 'Sidojisa Policy Conference' Regional Economy Session
"Must Transform from Democracy Hub to AI Leading City"

Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung is presenting the local economy session at the Governors' Policy Conference held in Seoul on the 10th.
[Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City]

Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung stated on the 10th, "The region must thrive for South Korea to thrive," adding, "We will respond to regional balanced development and population decline issues through the strategic design of future industries unique to Gwangju."

At the '2024 Governors' Policy Conference' regional economy session held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul that day, Mayor Kang emphasized, "The population crisis, including low birth rates, is becoming a reality," and said, "To solve this, strategic future industry design centered on artificial intelligence (AI), future cars, startups, and demonstration, as well as completing the ladder for nurturing local talent, are necessary."

This conference's regional economy session serves as a forum to discuss solutions to regional population extinction issues through regional economic revitalization and job creation.

Mayor Kang first explained Gwangju's 'strategic choice' to secure future regional food sources.

Mayor Kang analyzed, "Gwangju is renowned as a city that makes strategic choices politically, but it is also a city that has made strategic choices industrially. During the industrialization era of the 1960s, it focused on the automobile industry (Asia Motors); during the 2000s financial crisis, it focused on the light industry; and in 2018, it proactively chose artificial intelligence (AI) in South Korea. That choice has led to the city today having two complete car factories, being a light industry city, and an AI-centered city."

Mayor Kang diagnosed, "The one-pole system centered on the metropolitan area is a national disease," and emphasized that to solve regional balanced development and population issues, "the regional balanced development policies pursued so far have not produced significant effects," and "now industry and education must come to the regions, and mechanisms for this must be established."

He also stressed Gwangju's talent development programs such as the AI (Artificial Intelligence) Academy and GCC (Gwangju Content Hub) Academy, as well as policies on AI, future cars, startups, and demonstration.

Mayor Kang mentioned achievements such as the designation of the future car national industrial complex and the specialized complex for materials, parts, and equipment, emphasizing, "Gwangju, the center city of South Korean democracy, must now advance as the leading city of artificial intelligence (AI) in South Korea."

He then revealed a blueprint for an 'AI × Culture-Centered City' combined with artificial intelligence.

Mayor Kang said, "The Asia Culture Center City was created through contemplation on how to spread the spirit of democracy, human rights, and peace of the May 18th movement while exchanging with various Asian countries. Its symbol, the National Asia Culture Center (ACC), was built in the heart of the May 18th Democratic Movement at the old Jeonnam Provincial Office," adding, "Centered on the ACC, through the combination of cultural and artistic infrastructure and human resources, Gwangju is growing into a genuine Asia Culture Center City, and furthermore, it will establish itself as an AI × Culture-Centered City."