'Naju Global Energy Forum 2025' to Be Held on the 17th-18th

Theme: "DDD Energy Transition"
Participation from Leading Scholars, Companies, and Investors
In-depth Sessions Including a Keynote by a Nobel Laureate

Naju City in South Jeolla Province will host the "Naju Global Energy Forum 2025" at Korea Energy Engineering University, aiming to elevate its status as the energy capital of South Korea amid the global trend of convergence between energy and artificial intelligence (AI).

On September 15, Naju City announced that it will jointly organize the "Naju Global Energy Forum 2025" (hereinafter referred to as the forum) with South Jeolla Province and Korea Energy Engineering University. The event will be held for two days, from September 17 to 18, at Korea Energy Engineering University.

Positioning itself as the energy capital of South Korea, Naju City has been holding this forum since last year. It is drawing attention as a rare case where an international event organized by a basic local government attracts world-renowned scholars, global companies, and investment institutions.

This year’s forum will focus on the theme "DDD Energy Transition (Distributed, Direct Current, Digital AI)." In line with the government’s energy and AI policy direction, the forum will engage in in-depth discussions on the direction and future strategies of the global energy transition.

The opening ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on September 17. Konstantin Novoselov, a graphene research authority and Nobel Physics Prize laureate in 2010 from the National University of Singapore, will deliver the keynote speech, offering insights into AI-based design of next-generation advanced materials and innovation in the energy industry.

At 2 p.m. on the same day, Session 1, titled "AI for Energy," will feature a keynote speech by Shin Jungkyu, CEO of Rablup. Participants include Kim Sungcheol, President of KEPCO KDN; Lee Hyoseop, Vice President of Encored Technologies; Kang Myunggu, Secretary General of I-DEA; Son Kyungjong, Vice President of the Korea Association of Intelligent IoT; and Ma Gipyeong, Principal at Doosan Digital Innovation. The session will discuss power trading optimization, next-generation power grid operation, responses to global regulations, and strategies for building reliable security and digital infrastructure.

On the second day, September 18, at 10 a.m., Session 2, "Business & Investment," will be held.

Choi Jongwoong, CEO of Encored Technologies, and Kang Sanggu, Vice Mayor of Naju City, will present the visions of companies and the city. Global investment leaders such as Brian Gu, Amin Badr El Din, Jeff Wong, and Steve Wesley will join online to share the latest trends in Silicon Valley and strategies for Korea-US cooperation.

At 2 p.m. on the same day, Session 3, "Energy for AI," will follow.

Thomas Heller, professor at Stanford University, will deliver a keynote speech on carbon management strategies ahead of COP30. Other participants include Kim Yonghak, Director of KEPCO New Energy Technology Research Institute; Jin Woosam, Chairman of the Korea RE100 Committee; Kang Namhoon, Professor Emeritus at Hanshin University; Kim Yushin, President of the Jeonnam Energy Industry Association; and Christopher Desmarais, Director at Schneider Electric. They will discuss power systems, the convergence of energy and AI, RE100 industrial complexes, and community energy transition.

The forum will engage not only academia and industry but also the public.

At 6 p.m. on September 17, the popular science YouTube channel "Science View," which has 2.7 million subscribers, will host a special lecture for citizens. The session will explore intriguing topics such as "Can humanity obtain infinite energy?" and "Why would the Burj Khalifa collapse if electricity is cut off?" and will bring together around 700 citizens and students.

Additionally, this forum will see the signing of an agreement between Da Nang City in Vietnam and the Jeonnam Energy Industry Association. Based on this agreement, the city plans to actively pursue global energy exchange and cooperation projects.

Yoon Byungtae, Mayor of Naju City, stated, "Amid the era-defining trend of convergence between energy and AI, we will look ahead to the future of energy in Naju, focusing on direct current, distributed systems, and digital AI." He added, "This forum will serve as a new growth engine for South Korea and a stepping stone for Naju to become the nation’s energy capital."