Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province Spearhead Ambitious Projects with Strategic Restructuring
Ulsan, South Korea – As the new year dawns, both Ulsan City and South Gyeongsang Province are demonstrating a proactive approach to development by implementing significant organizational restructuring. These strategic moves are designed to accelerate key projects and bolster regional competitiveness, with a particular focus on emerging technologies and national development initiatives.
Ulsan City Elevates AI Ambitions with Dedicated Promotion Headquarters
Ulsan City has officially launched its AI Capital Promotion Headquarters, a bold initiative aimed at positioning the city as a leading hub for Artificial Intelligence. This new entity will serve as a central command post, overseeing the comprehensive development and implementation of AI policies. Its mandate is broad, encompassing the cultivation of the AI industry, nurturing local talent, building robust AI infrastructure, and fostering the creation of future-oriented, high-tech urban environments.
The headquarters is structured with a clear hierarchy, comprising one bureau and two divisions: the AI Industry Strategy Division and the Future High-Tech City Division. To ensure expert leadership and systematic progress, Ulsan City undertook an open recruitment process for the head of the promotion headquarters. The position has been filled by Kim Hyung-soo, a former vice director general from the Ministry of Science and ICT, bringing a wealth of experience in national technology policy to the role.
Ulsan’s vision extends to the creation of a sophisticated AI cluster. To achieve this, the city plans to collaborate closely with a range of key stakeholders. These include the Ulsan Information Industry Promotion Agency, the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), and major industrial players such as SK, Hyundai Motor Company, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. The AI Capital Promotion Headquarters will be the central coordinating body for these collaborative efforts.
Mayor Kim Doo-kyum has publicly committed to this ambitious agenda, signing the plan to promote the creation of a “Ulsan-type Sovereign AI cluster” as one of his first official acts of 2026. Sovereign AI refers to an advanced, autonomous AI model designed to mitigate reliance on specific technologies or companies, while crucially preventing the leakage of sensitive industrial data. A city official emphasized the strategic importance of this initiative, stating, “Through the creation of a Ulsan-type Sovereign AI cluster, we will enhance the international competitiveness of local key industries and gradually build an industrial ecosystem befitting an AI capital.”
South Gyeongsang Province Bolsters Public Institution Relocation Efforts
In parallel, South Gyeongsang Province has also undertaken significant organizational changes, most notably the establishment of a dedicated Public Institution Relocation Promotion Team. This new team is a substantial expansion of previous efforts, with 11 members led by Senior Secretary Kim Soon-hee. This represents more than a threefold increase in personnel compared to the former Public Institution Relocation Part, which previously operated with just three members under the Balanced Development Team.
The Public Institution Relocation Promotion Team is tasked with a critical national objective: the second phase of public institution relocation. This initiative aligns with the broader national strategy championed by the Lee Jae-myung government to decentralize public services and stimulate regional development. The team will assume responsibility for the tasks previously managed by the Balanced Development Team, including the relocation of public institutions and the support of innovative cities. A core function will be the development of comprehensive strategies to attract public institutions to the province during this second phase.
South Gyeongsang Province has already conducted thorough preparatory work. Between September and October of the previous year, the province meticulously reviewed 381 public institutions located in the capital region, identifying an initial list of 64 target institutions. In collaboration with the Gyeongnam Research Institute, the province has also been actively engaged in developing detailed relocation strategies. The current focus is on refining this list, prioritizing institutions that are closely aligned with the province’s strategic industries, such as space, aviation, defense, and manufacturing. Furthermore, the selection process also considers institutions that have strong connections to the 11 public institutions successfully relocated during the first phase of the national program. This strategic approach aims to create synergistic effects and foster integrated regional development.