"Haenam at the Center of AI and Energy"...Local Government and Education Office Join Hands to Build a Future Ecosystem

'Haenam Future Declaration Ceremony': Sharing the Vision of Coexistence Between Humanity and Futurity
Announcement of Haenam Technical High School's Conversion to Meister High School and Attraction of National AI Education Center
Attracting Advanced Companies and Improving Settlement Conditions: Realizing the 'Self-Sufficient City of 100,000' Vision

Haenam County and the Haenam Office of Education in Jeollanam-do have rolled up their sleeves to take the lead in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) and the great energy transition. Their plan is to organically link education, administration, and industry to create a virtuous ecosystem in which young people study and settle in the region.

On February 27, Haenam County and the Haenam Office of Education held the 'Haenam Future Declaration Ceremony for AI and Energy Capital Leap' at the Grand Theater of the Haenam Culture and Arts Center. Held under the slogan "Coexistence of Humanity and Futurity, Realized through Haenam Values," the event drew great interest, with more than 600 participants, including students, parents, and local residents.

Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Kim Daejung gave a congratulatory speech stating that he will build a Jeonnam-type talent development ecosystem where education, industry, and the region are connected based on the AI and energy education belt. Provided by the author

Following a systematic program, the event presented a multidimensional vision for Haenam's future. After the opening ceremony and congratulatory remarks from distinguished guests, a physical AI performance themed "The Meeting of AI and Humanity" captivated the audience by traversing Haenam's past, present, and future.

Prior to the main event, there were exhibitions showcasing the results of reading and humanities education, as well as book launch events by student and parent authors, attracting attention. During the main event, a pledge performance involving the local community was held, and six core strategies for the leap toward becoming the “AI and Energy Capital” were announced. Three key tasks each in the settlement and education sectors were presented, and a concrete implementation roadmap was unveiled.

Myeon Hyungwan, head of Haenam County, promised to create "Haenam, a place good for raising children and where young people return." Photo by Lee Jungkyung

First, in order to enhance the conditions for young people to stay, Haenam County identified three core strategies in the settlement sector: expanding social overhead capital (SOC) such as transportation, housing, and industrial infrastructure; establishing a self-sufficient city for renewable energy; and building a core hub for agri-food climate change response.

The Haenam Office of Education also announced three core strategies in the education sector, aiming to nurture talent linked to the local industry: fostering Haenam-style glocal education model schools; establishing AI-specialized models connected to regional industries; and attracting a National AI Education Center for the integrated Jeonnam-Gwangju metropolitan city.

In particular, both organizations agreed to focus their administrative efforts on converting Haenam Technical High School into a Meister High School as a core project. Haenam Technical High School plans to reorganize its departments to focus on advanced fields such as AI and semiconductors in response to future industrial demand and to operate customized employment training programs for businesses.

More than 600 people, including students, parents, and local residents, showed great interest by attending the 'Haenam Future Declaration Ceremony for AI and Energy Capital Leap.' Photo by Lee Jungkyung

On the day of the event, Kim Daejung, Superintendent of Education for Jeollanam-do, stressed, "We will establish a Jeonnam-style talent development ecosystem that connects education, industry, and the region based on an AI and energy education belt," adding, "Haenam will undoubtedly be at the center of this initiative."

Myeon Hyungwan, head of Haenam County, emphasized, "We will make the dream of 'Haenam as an industrial city with a population of 100,000' a reality by attracting advanced companies such as Samsung SDS and promoting the establishment of a self-sufficient renewable energy city." He added, "We will continue to proactively expand infrastructure to make Haenam a great place to raise children and a place where young people return."

Haenam County and the Haenam Office of Education plan to use this declaration as a starting point to strengthen their mid- to long-term cooperation framework, and to gradually implement a joint action plan linking the expansion of AI and renewable energy industries with the development of future talent.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.