GWANGJU < invest Korea

According to Yonhap News,

Gwangju-si announced that the Gwangju Artificial Intelligence (AI) Phase 2 project (AX Demonstration Valley Construction Project) plan was approved during the Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae-myung on August 18.

Building on the success of the Phase 1 project and infrastructure such as the AI Knowledge Industry Center in the Cheomdan 3rd District, Gwangju plans to implement the Phase 2 project with a total investment of KRW 600 billion.

The project aims to attract 1,000 AI convergence companies during the project period.

Over the past five years, the Phase 1 project, worth KRW 430 billion, established infrastructure such as the National AI Data Center and large driving simulators.

Phase 2 will focus on integrating AI into citizens' daily lives, ensuring that every citizen can experience and share the benefits of AI technology. The plan includes developing key technologies for mobility and energy industries based on AI transformation (AX).

Focusing on citizens' participation, the city will open 3,375 public facilities, including welfare facilities, parks, and parking lots, and provide 3,879 types of research equipment from 48 innovation organizations for corporate demonstration purposes.

The city is also pushing for the designation of the National AI Cluster and the AI Regulation-Free Zone, while actively working to attract the National AI Computing Center.

The city expects that the Phase 2 project will result in an economic impact of KRW 983.1 billion in production inducement, KRW 494.2 billion in value-added inducement, and the creation of 6,281 jobs.

The Phase 2 project will be exempted from preliminary feasibility studies following approval from the National Research and Development Project uation Committee. After reviewing the business plan's feasibility in the second half of this year, the project is expected to proceed over five years starting in 2026.

Gwangju's mayor stated, "Phase 1 was a project that proactively built AI infrastructure and nurtured talent in Korea. Through Phase 2, we aim to realize Gwangju as the 'AI Demonstration City,' where AI technology becomes tangible in the daily lives of citizens."

cbebop@yna.co.kr

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Source: Yonhap News (August 18, 2025)