Mayor Lee Yong-seop Requests Presidential Attendance at AI Cluster Groundbreaking Ceremony Within the Year

Early Approval of Preliminary Feasibility Study for Eco-Friendly Air Industry and Request for Whole-Government Support

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced that Mayor Lee Yong-seop explained the progress of the three major Gwangju-type New Deals at the ‘2nd Korean New Deal Strategy Meeting’ chaired by President Moon Jae-in at the Blue House on the 13th, and requested the president’s attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony of the AI cluster complex and the approval of the preliminary feasibility study for the eco-friendly air industry.

The meeting was held under the slogan ‘Korean New Deal with all provincial governors nationwide,’ attended by governors of 17 cities and provinces, Chief Secretary Noh Young-min, Policy Chief Kim Sang-jo, other senior Blue House officials, Democratic Party floor leader Kim Tae-nyeon, K-New Deal Committee General Director Lee Kwang-jae, Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Hong Nam-ki, and ministers from key government departments and political circles.

The government announced measures to promote regional balanced New Deals, and each local government strengthened their commitment to the success of regional New Deals and the Korean New Deal through case presentations and discussions.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop explained at the meeting that the Gwangju-type three major New Deals are AI-based and differentiated from other regional New Deals in that 1.5 million citizens participate together.

Gwangju City introduced that it is actively promoting the three major Gwangju-type AI-New Deal policies to leap forward as a global leading city in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution: ▲ Digital New Deal centered on artificial intelligence ▲ Green New Deal to realize a carbon-neutral, energy self-sufficient city by 2045, the first in Korea ▲ Human New Deal based on Gwangju-type jobs focusing on coexistence and safety.

He also said that two public reporting sessions have been held so far, and to systematically implement the announced tasks, a governance system involving 111 civic organizations has been established to enable citizen participation and sharing of achievements, thereby creating a Gwangju-type AI-New Deal.

The mayor emphasized that data is the foundation and core of artificial intelligence and requested the president to join citizens at the groundbreaking ceremony of the AI cluster complex, where the AI data center and supercomputing system will be established.

He shared that no industry or technology can be competitive without combining with AI in the future, and that Gwangju has been building AI infrastructure ahead of the Korean New Deal announcement, including signing MOUs for technology cooperation and AI talent exchange with Silicon Valley in the U.S., establishing the AI Graduate School at GIST, and operating the AI Academy. Accordingly, even amid the COVID-19 situation, 38 promising AI companies have settled in Gwangju, sharing preparations ahead of other regions.

In particular, he emphasized that the AI data center, scheduled to begin construction within the year, will have a performance of 88.5PF, three times that of the NURION No. 5 supercomputer (world rank 17) operated by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI), making it the best in Korea and among the top 10 worldwide. Based on this, he stated that Gwangju’s AI can open the way for nationwide projects and industrialization, highlighting the significance of the president’s onsite visit.

Additionally, as part of the Green New Deal projects, he requested government-wide support to ensure the approval of the preliminary feasibility study for the eco-friendly air industry attracted to Gwangju, emphasizing that it is a very promising future strategic industry with enormous market demand.

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