Hwaseong City Hosts 'MARS 2026 AI Conference,' Declares Vision as a Global Leading AI City

Hwaseong Launches Korea's First Local Government-AI Company Alliance
Choo Mi-ae, Former Chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, IBM, SK Telecom, and Other Leading AI Companies in Attendance
Held 'MARS Alliance Meeting' with 19 Global AI Companies
Mayor Jung Myunggeun: "The AI Transition Will Be Led by Local Governments"

Hwaseong Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Jung Myunggeun) kicked off the grand opening of the 'MARS 2026 AI Investment Attraction & Conference' at the Purmir Hotel on March 24, declaring to the world its vision as a leading AI city and its strong commitment to robust public-private cooperation.

The event is hosted by Hwaseong Special City and organized by the Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency (HIPA). It brings together global companies and experts from industry, academia, and research institutes to design new urban operation models for the AI era.

Myeonggeun Jung, Mayor of Hwaseong Special City, urged AI companies to cooperate at the MARS Alliance meeting on the 24th. Provided by Hwaseong City

Hwaseong Special City Hosts 'MARS Alliance Meeting' Ahead of the Opening Ceremony

On the first day of the event, March 24, the 'MARS Alliance Meeting' was held in the Topaz Hall. The meeting was attended by Jung Myunggeun, Mayor of Hwaseong Special City, as well as representatives and executives from 19 leading domestic and global AI companies, including global big tech companies such as IBM and Salesforce, and Korean AI leaders such as SKT and Kakao Healthcare.

In his welcoming remarks, Mayor Jung emphasized, "The AI industry cannot grow through the efforts of local governments alone," adding, "The MARS Alliance with the 19 leading companies gathered here today will become a core platform for public-private cooperation to build a sustainable AI industrial ecosystem in Hwaseong Special City."

During the approximately 30-minute meeting, Mayor Jung presented Hwaseong Special City's AI policy direction, highlighting its pioneering efforts as the first basic local government nationwide to host an AI Expo and establish a dedicated AI department. He also stressed the importance of alliance member companies leveraging their advanced technologies and capabilities to take the lead in the industry-wide transition to AI.

Jung Myung-geun, mayor of Hwaseong Special City, is speaking about the vision of AI city Hwaseong at the MARS 2026 Investment Attraction & Conference opening ceremony on the 24th. Provided by Hwaseong City

MARS 2026 AI Investment Attraction & Conference Opening Ceremony Captivates with AI Robot Performance

The opening ceremony, held at 10 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom, began with a thematic performance using AI robots that visually showcased the future vision of Hwaseong Special City.

During the performance, intricately moving robots interacted with humans, delivering the message of Hwaseong’s goal to become a “human-centered AI city,” which was met with enthusiastic response from the distinguished guests.

The opening ceremony was attended by key figures, including Baek Jeongsu, Chairman of the Hwaseong City Council; Choo Mi-ae, former Chair of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee; Jeon Byeongseon, President of Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency; and other city and provincial council members.

In his opening speech, Mayor Jung Myunggeun stated, "Hwaseong Special City is the industrial center of Korea, with over 26,000 manufacturing companies clustered here. In this era of great transformation, we will create the nation's best AI demonstration environment so that companies can leap forward with AI as a new growth engine."

Furthermore, Mayor Jung emphasized, "We can no longer leave the responsibility of AI transition solely to companies. Local governments must take the lead in this transition. Hwaseong Special City will become the most reliable partner for AI companies and be the first to present the standard for future cities shaped by AI."

Soojung Lee, CEO of IBM Korea, is delivering the keynote speech at the MARS 2026 Investment Attraction & Conference Opening Ceremony. Provided by Hwaseong City

Soojung Lee, CEO of IBM Korea, Delivers Keynote Speech: "The Need to Build a Collaborative Ecosystem Between Local Governments and Companies"

On the first day of the 'MARS 2026 AI Investment Attraction & Conference,' Soojung Lee, CEO of IBM Korea, a leader of digital innovation in the global AI industry, delivered the keynote speech.

In her keynote, Lee discussed "A Mindset Shift for Companies and Local Governments to Drive Innovative AI Expansion," explaining, "While digital transformation in the past focused on efficiency, the current AI transformation is a fundamental change that creates new value from data and revolutionizes decision-making systems."

She also presented a specific roadmap for how AI can contribute across industries in manufacturing-based cities like Hwaseong, going beyond simple process automation to building intelligent supply chains and predicting quality.

Lee defined AI transformation as "not simply the adoption of technology, but a redesign of business that creates new value from data and revolutionizes decision-making systems." She emphasized practical strategies for Hwaseong’s more than 26,000 manufacturing companies to maximize productivity and secure global competitiveness through AI.

Additionally, she highlighted the importance of "ensuring data reliability" and "establishing a collaborative ecosystem" as the key roles for local governments like Hwaseong Special City in the AI era. Lee pointed out that "it is difficult for companies to independently build AI infrastructure due to limitations in cost and professional personnel," stressing that public-private partnership models such as the "MARS Alliance" being promoted by Hwaseong Special City will be a critical driving force in lowering the AI entry barrier for small and medium-sized enterprises.

She concluded her speech by expressing the expectation that if Hwaseong Special City builds an environment where industrial data can be safely shared and verified, the city could become a hub for global AI manufacturing innovation, extending beyond Korea.

Jung Myunggeun, Mayor of Hwaseong Special City, is declaring the MARS Alliance with AI companies at the MARS 2026 Investment Attraction & Conference Opening Ceremony on the 24th. Provided by Hwaseong City

Attendance by 19 Leading AI Companies Including IBM, Salesforce, SK Telecom, and NHN Cloud Draws Attention

One of the highlights of the opening ceremony was the "MARS Alliance Declaration Ceremony," where Mayor Jung Myunggeun and representatives of the 19 participating companies officially launched the alliance by pressing a button on stage, proclaiming to the world the establishment of a robust AI industry ecosystem based on public-private cooperation.

This marks the first case nationwide of local government and global companies joining forces to build a city-scale AI ecosystem, presenting an innovative future urban model where technology, industry, and administration are organically integrated.

The companies participating in the MARS Alliance Declaration Ceremony include IBM, Salesforce, SK Telecom, SK Planet, NHN Cloud, Medicus, Urban Data Lab, Kudo Communication, Samil PwC, Rebellions, Maum AI, Raonroad, Kona I, and others, totaling 19 companies.

Jung Myung-geun, Mayor of Hwaseong Special City, is playing Omok with an AI robot at the AI experience booth. Provided by Hwaseong City

AI Exhibition & Experience Zone, 1:1 Business Matching Zone, and Investment Consultation Zone Open Throughout the Event

The 'MARS 2026 AI Investment Attraction & Conference' is being held over two days, from March 24 to 25.

On March 24, a variety of programs are being held, including: ▲ an investment attraction briefing session, ▲ a startup investment day, and ▲ a policy briefing session to support small and medium-sized enterprises. Notably, the ▲ 1:1 business matching zone (business matching zone) and ▲ investment consultation zone will be open throughout the event, providing practical opportunities for investment linkage and cooperation between companies and investors.

In addition, an ▲ AI exhibition and experience zone has been set up at the venue, allowing citizens and companies to directly experience cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous vehicles, UAM platforms, and humanoid robots.

On the second day, March 25, ▲ professional sessions by sector (city, technology, industry) and ▲ the AX Leaders Networking event, which connects companies wishing to introduce robotic processes with suppliers, will be held. The event will also feature in-depth discussions on Hwaseong Special City's AI industry ecosystem strategy and policy direction.

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