Seongnam City Wins Grand Prize in Mobility at the World Smart City Awards
Achieving Global Leadership in Smart Cities Through “Mobility Innovation”
“Seongnam-Style MaaS” Ranks No. 1 Worldwide... Celebrating Back-to-Back Wins
Global Spotlight on “Integrated Mobility” Connecting New and Old Districts
Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor: Shin Sangjin) won the Grand Prize (Winner) in the Mobility category of the prestigious World Smart City Awards at the 2025 Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC 2025), which was held in Barcelona, Spain, on November 5 (local time). This achievement is especially significant as it marks the first time a Korean city has received the Grand Prize in the Mobility category.
Employees from the Fourth Industrial Revolution Bureau of Seongnam City and representatives of Seongnam companies participating in the 2025 Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC 2025) took a commemorative photo on the 5th (local time) in Barcelona, Spain, after winning the Grand Prize in the Mobility category of the Seongnam City World Smart City Awards. Provided by Seongnam City
Now in its 14th year, the World Smart City Awards is the world’s largest smart city awards ceremony, co-hosted by the City of Barcelona and Fira Barcelona. Every year, the event comprehensively evaluates innovative projects submitted by cities and organizations from around the globe, selecting winners based on sustainability, innovation, citizen impact, and scalability.
Following last year’s win in the Innovation Award category, Seongnam City has now claimed the Grand Prize in the Mobility category, setting a record as the first Korean city to win awards for two consecutive years.
The award-winning “Seongnam-Style Autonomous Driving-Based Integrated Mobility Service (MaaS)” is a flagship smart city project designed to bridge the transportation infrastructure gap between new and old districts and enhance the convenience of citizen mobility. The project integrates public transportation, autonomous shuttles, car sharing, personal mobility, and robot and drone deliveries into a single platform, creating an accessible mobility environment for all citizens.
The autonomous shuttle service connects major hubs such as Seongnam Stadium, Pangyo Techno Valley, and Seongnam High-Tech Valley, expanding mobility rights for transportation-vulnerable groups and non-drivers. In the areas around Pangyo Station and Seohyeon Station, AI-powered autonomous robots deliver lunch boxes and beverages, while drones provide snacks to picnickers at Tancheon and Jungang Park.
These services utilize AI-based route optimization and demand forecasting technologies to improve convenience for citizens. The “Smart Mobility Hub,” which integrates charging, sharing, parking, and reservation functions, has been established as a complex urban space where transportation and leisure can be enjoyed together. As a result, the project has achieved concrete outcomes such as reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by 12.4 tons, shortening citizen travel times by 15-25%, and guaranteeing mobility rights for more than 1,500 transportation-vulnerable individuals.
Building on this achievement, Seongnam City plans to integrate autonomous shuttles, the MaaS platform, and smart logistics services into a complete system by 2026. Winning the world’s most prestigious smart city award has drawn attention to Seongnam City as a model that can be expanded to cities both in Korea and abroad.
Mayor Shin Sangjin stated, “This award is global recognition that Seongnam City is moving toward a people-centered, rather than technology-centered, smart city. We will continue to create innovative mobility services and a sustainable urban environment that citizens can truly experience, thereby completing the Seongnam-style future city model.”
Seongnam City Fourth Industrial Revolution Bureau Director Kwangseung Cha and employees of the AI Semiconductor Division are taking a commemorative photo after winning the Grand Prize in the Mobility category at the World Smart City Awards during the 2025 Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC 2025) held in Barcelona, Spain on the 5th (local time). Provided by Seongnam City
He added, “Taking this award as an opportunity, we will actively support local companies with outstanding smart mobility technologies in their efforts to expand overseas, and broaden the scope of cooperation through the global smart city network.”
The World Smart City Awards 2025 saw participation from over 1,000 cities across 140 countries. Seongnam City operated an exhibition booth under the theme “AI-Driven Smart Mobility for Sustainable City,” showcasing an eco-friendly smart mobility ecosystem based on autonomous shuttles, drones, and robots.
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