Shin Sang-jin, the mayor of Seongnam, South Korea, has signed a sister city agreement with Bologna, Italy, aiming to expand international cooperation in future industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) and smart cities.
The initiative seeks to connect Seongnam's advanced industrial capabilities, centered around the Pangyo Techno Valley, with Europe's research and innovation foundations to promote overseas expansion for businesses and tangible urban innovation for citizens.
On October 16, local time, Mayor Shin signed the sister city agreement with Bologna Mayor Matteo Lepore at Bologna City Hall, expressing a commitment to utilize European advanced technologies to improve citizens' lives.
This marks the first time Bologna has established a sister city relationship with a South Korean city, and it is also Seongnam's first sister city agreement with an Italian city.
During the signing ceremony, Mayor Shin stated, "The sister city agreement with Bologna is a meaningful starting point for building our future based on each other's strengths. We will expand exchanges between businesses and talents by connecting Seongnam's advanced industrial capabilities with Bologna's excellent research and innovation foundations, creating practical cooperation outcomes that citizens can feel."
The two cities agreed to enhance exchanges in the fields of economy, science and technology, culture, and education, sharing policies and best practices in advanced technology areas such as AI, smart cities, and digital twins. They also plan to explore collaboration in creative industries like gaming and digital content.
On October 15, Mayor Shin attended the opening ceremony of the '2026 Bologna Technopolis Festival' at the Technopole DAMA, where he introduced Seongnam's advanced industrial competitiveness and citizen-centered smart city vision.
In his speech, he emphasized, "The competitiveness of a smart city lies not just in possessing advanced technology but in how well that technology is utilized for the benefit of citizens." He added, "By combining Bologna's world-class supercomputing capabilities with Seongnam's new technology verification capabilities, we can find better solutions to urban challenges faced by both cities."
Following the sister city agreement on October 16, Mayor Shin visited the University of Bologna and its historical district to explore potential exchanges in education and research, as well as opportunities for collaboration with young talents.
He also toured key research facilities, including the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the Leonardo supercomputer, to observe practical applications of advanced computational technologies.
Mayor Shin expects this sister city agreement will serve as a catalyst for expanding European market access for local advanced industry companies, including those based in Pangyo Techno Valley, and for fostering international technology and talent exchanges.
Mayor Shin Sang-jin added, "Through cooperation with Bologna, we will strive to expand Seongnam's advanced industrial competitiveness globally and ensure that AI and smart city technologies lead to tangible improvements in citizens' lives."
Additionally, after establishing a sister city relationship with Wrocław, Poland, Mayor Shin plans to identify specific collaborative projects in advanced industries, science and technology, culture and arts, and education with Bologna.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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