Jeju is the most unique island in South Korea. Its volcanic landscape is special, but it is even more remarkable as a space that has experimented with the future earlier than any other region in the country. Jeju has dreamed of becoming an international free city, declared itself a carbon-neutral island, and has been proactive in transitioning to renewable energy. Now, Jeju is taking on another challenge.
In the recent local elections, elected official Wi Seong-gon declared his intention to make Jeju a model for an 'AI society.' He plans to establish an AI free zone, attract a national AI data center, and create a public platform that allows all residents to utilize AI. This approach differs from other regions, focusing on integrating AI into people's lives rather than just in industrial complexes and manufacturing plants.
The question is simple: Can Jeju become the first region in South Korea to make AI a part of everyday life rather than just an industry?
From a tourism island to an AI island, Jeju's new challenge
Jeju's economy has long relied on tourism. When the number of tourists increases, the economy thrives; when it decreases, the economy falters. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerabilities of this structure. While the tourism industry is important, it has been confirmed that it cannot guarantee the future on its own.
This is why Wi Seong-gon has proposed AI as a new growth strategy. He believes Jeju should not just be a tourist destination but a platform for experimenting with future technologies. During his campaign announcement, he emphasized key pledges such as establishing an AI free zone, introducing an AI resident assistant, and attracting a national AI data center.
What is interesting is the approach. While other regions discuss semiconductors, robotics, and future vehicles, Jeju talks about an AI society. The goal is to view AI as a public good that all residents can use, rather than a technology exclusive to specific companies or research institutions.
Just as electricity and water began in industrial facilities and spread to homes, AI will inevitably enter daily life. We are approaching an era where it is hard to find fields that do not utilize AI, from administration and education to healthcare, welfare, agriculture, and tourism.
So, where should the first space in South Korea to experiment with this future be? Wi Seong-gon believes the answer is Jeju.
AI data centers and renewable energy: Jeju's new growth formula
The most crucial infrastructure in the AI era is not just semiconductors.
It is data centers.
AI requires immense computational power, which necessitates large-scale data centers. The challenge lies in power consumption. AI data centers consume vast amounts of electricity. Recently, the government enacted special laws to foster the AI data center industry and significantly relaxed permitting procedures, reflecting this importance.
Wi Seong-gon sees Jeju as having a competitive edge in this regard. Jeju is rich in wind and solar resources and already boasts the highest proportion of renewable energy in the country. He envisions combining AI data centers with renewable energy to create a new industrial ecosystem.
This is not merely a strategy for attracting businesses.
The world is currently engaged in both AI and energy competitions. As AI develops, it requires more power. Ultimately, in the future, locations that can provide stable, eco-friendly power will likely have an advantage over those with the most data.
Jeju possesses natural resources like wind and sunlight. Wi Seong-gon's concepts of wind pensions, solar pensions, and a carbon credit economy can be understood in this context. This is an attempt to link the AI industry with energy transition as a unified strategy.
If a national AI data center is established in Jeju, the island's economy could evolve from a tourism-centric structure to one focused on data and energy. This is the core of Jeju's envisioned future industrial strategy.
Can the AI resident assistant experiment succeed?
Among Wi Seong-gon's pledges, the most notable is the AI resident assistant.
This system is not just a simple chatbot. It is designed to proactively suggest necessary welfare and administrative services to residents before they even apply. This signifies a shift in the paradigm of administration from a supply-centered to a demand-centered approach.
Until now, administration required citizens to seek out services. Many have missed out on necessary support simply due to a lack of information. However, with the introduction of AI, this situation could change. AI could analyze income, age, and living conditions to guide residents toward the policies they need.
Wi Seong-gon takes it a step further. He has announced plans to build a public AI platform that allows all residents to use generative AI. He is also considering options for AI usage vouchers and tokens.
This is a significant experiment.
Until now, AI has been a technology for large corporations and experts. However, in the future, AI is likely to become a tool used by all citizens. Therefore, access to AI could become a new social right.
If Jeju is the first to experiment with this, it could become a model for AI policy in South Korea, extending beyond simple local government initiatives.
Agriculture and tourism must also embrace AI
Many people associate AI in Jeju solely with data centers.
However, Jeju's true competitiveness lies in its industrial sectors.
Jeju has developed citrus fruits, winter vegetables, and livestock farming. Its tourism industry is also among the best in the country. AI can bring significant changes to these fields as well.
In agriculture, analyzing growth data can enhance productivity, while in tourism, personalized services can be offered. Small businesses can also utilize AI for marketing and customer management.
AI is not just a technology needed in manufacturing cities.
In fact, it may have even greater potential in regions like Jeju, where the service industry is predominant.
Wi Seong-gon's emphasis on an AI society ultimately refers to this type of AI closely connected to daily life. The philosophy is that it is more important to enable each resident to utilize AI than to build massive factories.
In this regard, Jeju is taking a completely different path from Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Daejeon.
The competition for AI in South Korea has so far revolved around semiconductors, data centers, and research and development.
However, the ultimate goal of AI is not technology but people.
Wi Seong-gon has declared his intention to make Jeju a testing ground for an AI society. Through the AI free zone, national AI data center, AI resident assistant, and public AI platform, he aims to integrate AI into the lives of residents.
This challenge will not be easy.
However, if successful, Jeju could become the first region in South Korea to experience the future.
While Jeju was once known as a tourism island, it could evolve into a digital free island combining AI and renewable energy.
:Wi Seong-gon, Elected Governor of Jeju:
A three-term member of the National Assembly, he has been active in politics based in Seogwipo, Jeju. He has consistently voiced concerns in the areas of agriculture, regional balanced development, and climate crisis response. In this election, he was elected as the governor of Jeju with the slogan 'A working governor responsible for people's livelihoods.'
He emphasized the establishment of an AI free zone, attracting a national AI data center, introducing an AI resident assistant, and building a public AI platform as key pledges, highlighting the model of an AI society tailored to Jeju. He envisions creating a new Jeju that combines data, renewable energy, and digital innovation, moving beyond a tourism-centered economic structure.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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