Collaboration among POSTECH, Handong Global University, and Technopark
Building a Synergistic Ecosystem for Research and Industry
Integrating AI into Steel, Secondary Batteries, and Biotechnology
Creating an Industrial Convergence Cluster
Pohang City is set to launch a comprehensive mid-to-long-term plan to systematically nurture a total of 100,000 artificial intelligence (AI) talents by 2030.
This initiative is a strategic move by the local government to build an AI talent ecosystem in collaboration with universities, companies, and global organizations, aiming to position Pohang as South Korea's leading hub for AI innovation.
The city plans to organically link 11 ongoing or planned talent development projects to establish a "lifelong AI education system" that covers everything from degree programs to practical industry training. Through this, Pohang aims to cultivate a total of 100,000 professional and practical AI experts by 2030 and significantly enhance the region's overall AI capabilities across industries.
Key initiatives include: ▲Support for the POSTECH Graduate School of Artificial Intelligence ▲POSTECH Industrial Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing Innovation Talent Development Project (training master's and doctoral-level researchers) ▲Apple Developer Academy ▲Support for University-Focused Research Institutes in Science and Engineering ▲SW Miraechaeum (Software Future-Filling) Program, among others.
Pohang City has presented a vision to integrate and manage these projects, aspiring to become an "AI Talent Hub City" where research and industry grow together.
In particular, the city plans to create a region-specific talent circulation system by connecting advanced research talent development centered on POSTECH and Handong Global University, industrial practical training at Pohang Technopark and RIST, and citizen-participatory SW Miraechaeum programs.
On this basis, Pohang aims to minimize the outflow of local talent, accelerate digital transformation (DX) and AI-based industrial innovation (AX), and speed up the creation of new industries.
Pohang City is also focusing not only on nurturing talent, but also on creating a stable living environment where these individuals can settle and fully realize their potential.
The core of this effort is the creation of an "AI Innovation Ecocity," where research and development infrastructure, business activities, housing, and leisure are harmoniously integrated.
To achieve this, the city will leverage world-class research infrastructure such as POSTECH and RIST, promote the establishment of international schools to enhance educational and residential conditions, and expand housing and leisure infrastructure by utilizing the East Coast's natural environment, thereby realizing a city "where people can work, stay, and enjoy life."
This plan goes beyond simply expanding educational programs, establishing itself as a key strategy for strengthening urban competitiveness and innovating industrial structures around AI technology.
In particular, the city aims to create an industrial convergence cluster by integrating AI technology into Pohang's main industries such as steel, secondary batteries, biotechnology, and robotics, and to build an innovation ecosystem where research and development are closely connected to industrial sites.
Mayor Lee Kangdeok stated, "Pohang is a city equipped with the nation's top-level research infrastructure and industrial base, including POSTECH, Handong Global University, and RIST. Based on this, we will systematically nurture 100,000 AI talents by 2030 and leap forward as South Korea's number one AI city, where research and industry grow together."
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