The First Step Toward Future Smart Cities... Busan's 'Smart Village' Move-In Begins

Start of Move-in for Smart Village in Busan National Pilot City
Residents Directly Improve Over 40 Innovative Technology Experience Services

Busan Smart Village panoramic view (Photo by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

Citizens have begun moving into the 'Smart Village' within the Busan Smart City National Pilot City, the starting point of future-oriented smart cities. Residents plan to live here for the next five years, experiencing and developing various smart technologies.

On the 27th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Busan City, and Korea Water Resources Corporation announced that the move-in to the Smart Village in Busan Eco Delta City has been fully underway. On the 24th, they also held a ceremony to celebrate the move-in and share the Smart Village operation plan.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport designated the Busan Eco Delta City area as a national pilot smart city in January 2018, and currently, Korea Water Resources Corporation and Busan City are conducting site construction.

The Smart Village is a complex consisting of 56 detached houses built within the Busan National Pilot City, providing a space where citizens can directly experience various smart services.

Previously, the government selected 54 households as final residents from 2,982 applications received during a nationwide public contest held for 34 days from November 11 to December 14 last year.

They began moving in on the 16th and will complete the move-in by January 15 next year. Residents will only bear maintenance costs for five years and participate in a living lab program to experience and improve innovative technologies applied within the complex. The living lab refers to a laboratory (Lab) conducting research in a living (Living) space where citizens actually reside.

More than 40 services applied in the Busan Smart Village are key technologies to be expanded and applied to future smart cities. These include smart water purification plants, smart energy, and urban management platforms.

Near the Smart Village, the 'Urban Tech House,' housing 19 startup companies and industry-academic research institutions, is also operated. Companies residing in the Urban Tech House participate in the Smart Village living lab program to demonstrate and improve innovative technologies and discover business models.

Kim Bok-hwan, Director of Urban Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "The Smart Village is a miniature version of the national pilot city that integrates various innovative technologies," adding, "As a space with significant meaning as the first starting point to prepare future smart cities together with citizens, we will strive to ensure its successful operation."

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