Full Commitment to Phase 2 AI Acceleration and Attraction of AI Computing Center
Agreement on Financial Sharing for AI Gifted High School Construction... Faster Progress
With the passage of the “AI Basic Act,” which provides the legal basis for supporting artificial intelligence (AI) clusters and dedicated agencies, at the National Assembly plenary session on the 26th, Gwangju City is expected to accelerate the promotion of its second-phase AI project. In addition, the recent completion of negotiations regarding the allocation of national and local government funding, which had been a point of contention for the establishment of Gwangju AI Gifted High School, will allow the project to move forward in earnest.
According to Gwangju City on the 28th, the “Framework Act on the Promotion of Artificial Intelligence and Establishment of a Trust-Based Foundation,” which consolidates 19 bills related to the AI industry, was passed at the National Assembly plenary session on the 26th.
The “AI Basic Act” primarily includes measures to promote the development and utilization of AI technology, strengthen ecosystem competitiveness, and establish standards for the protection of human rights and interests. It also contains provisions allowing the government to designate AI clusters and provide administrative, financial, and technical support to accelerate the concentration of the AI industry.
In particular, under a special provision that considers institutions operating with government funding and meeting requirements specified by presidential decree as designated cluster agencies, the Gwangju Artificial Intelligence Industry Convergence Project Group, located in the Gwangju High-Tech District, is now eligible to be designated and supported as a cluster agency. Additional provisions include support for the construction and operation of related infrastructure facilities such as AI data centers.
With the passage of the AI Basic Act, Gwangju City is expected to gain momentum in promoting the AX (AI Transformation) Demonstration Valley project (AI Phase 2) and attracting the national “AI Computing Center.”
Since 2020, the city has invested KRW 426.9 billion over five years to establish an AI-centered industrial convergence cluster. It has also built key facilities to support research and development, including the National AI Data Center. Furthermore, the city plans to implement the “AX Demonstration Valley Expansion Project” with an investment of KRW 900 billion by 2029.
The establishment of Gwangju AI Gifted High School will also be accelerated. This follows the recent conclusion of negotiations on the allocation of project costs, which had been a point of disagreement regarding the ratio of national and local government funding. The construction costs will be shared, with the government covering 70% and Gwangju City covering 30% of the total project cost.
Mayor Kang Gijung said, “I would like to thank the members of the National Assembly who worked hard to enact the AI Basic Act,” adding, “With the Artificial Intelligence Industry Convergence Project Group designated as the cluster agency, we will work together with the government and local lawmakers to establish legal and institutional support so that AI Phase 2 and other AI-related projects can be carried out stably.”
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