Gwangju's "AI Mobility Pilot City" Receives 1 Billion Won in Government Supplementary Budget

Research Service Fee for Establishing AI-Based Demonstration System
Building the "Mega Sandbox" as a Future Vehicle Testbed

AI-based future car industry image. Provided by Gwangju City

An additional government budget of 1 billion won for Gwangju's "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Mobility National Pilot City" is expected to be included in the supplementary budget bill.

According to Gwangju City on July 2, the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee has allocated 1 billion won for a research service to establish the "AI Mobility National Pilot City" in the government's second supplementary budget proposal and has forwarded it to the National Assembly Special Committee on Budget and Accounts.

The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee has clearly designated "Gwangju Metropolitan City" as the pilot city area, specifying that the budget is intended for "the construction of future mobility infrastructure and the establishment of demonstration and AI-based integrated management systems."

If the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts reflects the 1 billion won and the bill passes the plenary session, Gwangju City will be able to proceed with the research service, which is the first step in the AI-based mobility pilot city project.

This project aims to build a "mega sandbox pilot new city" that can serve as a corporate demonstration and testbed by integrating future vehicle transformation in the automobile industry with AI technology. The city has consistently proposed the creation of a regulatory-free zone mega sandbox in the Bitgreen National Industrial Complex and the Future Car National Industrial Complex.

An official from Gwangju City stated, "Although there are still procedures left, such as passing the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts and the plenary session, we believe the supplementary budget will be approved without difficulty," adding, "If the budget is allocated, we expect to be able to draw up the blueprint for the AI mobility future new city."