Professors Lee Seungho and Jo Kihyuk Lead International Panel at EU Invitation
Presenting Citizen-Participatory Solutions for Regional Extinction in Miryang and Andong
On May 13, researchers from UNIST (President Park Jongrae) presented future city design strategies to address regional extinction at the '2025 Osaka Expo'.
Professor Lee Seungho from the Department of Design, along with Professors Jo Kihyuk and Kim Jungseop from the Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, were invited by the European Union to lead a panel discussion under the theme "Envisioning the Future of Cities: Design, Technology, and Democracy."
This discussion served as a platform to explore new policies aimed at solving the challenges of regional extinction and population decline.
The session began with a keynote speech by Henna Virkkunen, Vice Chair for Digital Policy at the European Commission (former Finnish Minister of Education). She stated, "Digital transformation is not about technology, but about people and communities," and emphasized, "Cities where design, technology, and citizen participation are in harmony foster more inclusive and resilient societies."
Professor Jo Kihyuk introduced future city design projects combining citizen participation and technology currently underway in Miryang and Andong. He stressed, "Digital technology is a crucial tool for developing citizen-centered policies in declining cities with shrinking populations," and added, "Future cities should become continuous laboratories for policy experimentation."
Professor Jo Kihyuk (right) is introducing the future city design projects underway in Miryang and Andong. Photo by UNIST
Professor Lee Seungho, serving as the chair, remarked, "All cities are already undergoing change," and added, "We must continue to drive urban transformation through the integration of design, technology, and citizen participation."
Professor Lee Seungho (left) is leading the discussion as the forum chair, and Dr. Mark Boden (right) is participating. Photo by UNIST
Professor Kim Jungseop noted, "UNIST's research has drawn attention as a solution to regional extinction," and stated, "We will continue to expand research that designs the future of cities together with local citizens."
Alongside the UNIST faculty, Dr. Mark Boden from the EU Joint Research Centre, Dr. Mervi Hemelainen from the City of Espoo, Finland, and Professor Yusuke Yabutani from Toyama, Japan, also contributed their perspectives to the discussion.
Dr. Mark Boden commented, "Europe, with its diverse histories and cultures, requires city-specific policies even for similar issues," and emphasized, "Data-driven policymaking and citizen-centered urban design are essential."
Dr. Mervi Hemelainen shared, "Technology should be a means to create better cities," and introduced cases from Finland where AI and VR are used to design urban spaces for foreign residents and people with disabilities.
Professor Yusuke Yabutani argued, "Urban networks should be designed through resident participation, not by administration," and discussed solutions for population decline and aging.
The UNIST research team is currently conducting citizen-participatory urban design projects in Miryang and Andong, supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea's 'Basic Research Laboratory for Rightsizing Technology to Respond to Regional Extinction.' The team visits both cities weekly to encourage citizen involvement and carries out projects to envision the future city.
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