The project aims to address urban issues in overseas cities such as Milan in Italy, Birmingham in the UK, and Khon Kaen in Thailand using advanced technology from Korean companies.
On the 7th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the final selection of six cities across five countries for the ‘K-City Network 2025 Overseas Demonstration Project.’ The cities include Khon Kaen in Thailand, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Milan and Verona in Italy, Birmingham in the UK, and Lima in Peru. From this month, a local demonstration project with a total budget of 2.3 billion won will be officially launched.
The ‘K-City Network’ is a policy to demonstrate innovative smart city technologies tailored to the conditions of overseas cities. It aims to support the global market expansion of Korean companies while strengthening intergovernmental cooperation. The selected cities are currently facing various urban issues such as traffic congestion and waste collection. The plan is to offer tailored smart solutions utilizing advanced technology from Korean companies.
In Khon Kaen, Thailand, the project will demonstrate technology that analyzes real-time CCTV footage based on artificial intelligence (AI). It is a solution that detects and reports unusual situations in real time, with the goal of supporting swift police response in emergencies such as disasters and crimes.
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the focus will be on demonstrating an AI-based smart parking system that allows quick location of parking spaces. Milan, Italy, will address the problem of increasing urban waste by installing intelligent IoT load detection sensors and compactor-equipped bins throughout the city. A smart waste management system will also be demonstrated, positioning it as a gateway for entry into the European market.
Birmingham, UK, will see the demonstration of an AR-based navigation service that supports barrier-free walking for those with mobility challenges. Lima, Peru, will implement traffic safety solutions to prevent traffic accidents. Through this demonstration project, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to directly prove the excellence of Korean smart technology in the field and hopes to expand sustainable urban cooperation models linked with exports.
Yoon Young-jung, director of the Urban Economy Division at the Ministry, stated, “This demonstration project is an opportunity to show that Korea’s smart city technology can be an alternative,” adding, “We will actively support our companies’ global market entry and strengthen the cooperation network with overseas cities.”