'Seoul's Digital Inclusion Initiative' Wins 'Best City Award' at Barcelona Smart City Awards

The World's Largest 'Smart City Award' Held in Barcelona, Spain

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 17th, Seoul City announced that on the 16th, at the '2022 Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC)' in Barcelona, an international smart city event, 'Seoul's Companionship with the Digitally Disadvantaged' won the Best City Award in the 'Urban Strategy' category.

'SCEWC 2022' was held over three days from the 15th to the 17th, with participation from more than 20,000 people representing 700 cities, 800 companies, and 140 countries worldwide. One of the main programs of SCEWC, the 'World Smart City Awards,' annually recognizes outstanding cities leading smart city initiatives, leadership, innovative ideas, and projects. This year, 337 cities from over 60 countries participated.

Among the award categories at SCEWC, the highest category, 'City,' recognized six cities presenting leading global strategies combining citizen-centered projects, goal-oriented plans, and policy implementation. Seoul City was awarded the Best City Award among them. Since winning the main prize in the 'Project' category in 2015 with the mVoting service, Seoul has solidified its status as a leading smart city by winning the Best City Award in the 'Urban Strategy' category in 2016, 2019, and this year.

Barcelona Deputy Mayor Laia Bonet said, "Seoul's digital inclusion policy reminded the world of inequality amid the global focus on digital transformation and demonstrated that cities must be people-centered," adding, "'Cities Inspired by People' means that those people will no longer be marginalized."

Additionally, Seoul City and the Seoul Digital Foundation reestablished the Seoul Pavilion after three years since its first operation at 'SCEWC 2019,' introducing Seoul's advanced smart city policies and projects to participants worldwide. They also participated in the exhibition with nine innovative companies, providing a platform to promote their excellent products and solutions globally, supporting overseas expansion. To establish and operate the Seoul Pavilion, the Seoul Digital Foundation began identifying partner organizations in August, selected nine participating companies and university student supporters in October, and conducted pre-support programs in November.

Lee Hye-kyung, Seoul City's Digital Policy Officer, said, "Seoul's international status as a smart city was made possible by smart citizens actively participating in solving urban problems using digital technology based on the world's best Smart Seoul platform," and added, "We will continue to discover customized technologies and services for socially vulnerable groups and spread the value of 'Companionship with the Digitally Disadvantaged' worldwide to leap forward as a leading global smart city."

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