On Oct. 10, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced that he will realize his vision of “Smile in Smart Life” so that people, including the vulnerable, will not be isolated from enjoying the benefits of technology.
He made the comments at the opening ceremony of Smart Life Week (SLW), the city’s first information and communications technology (ICT) exposition held at COEX in Seoul on Oct. 10.
“Seoul will become a city where children can laugh and the elderly can smile,” Mayor Oh said. “We will make Seoul an innovation platform for smart cities around the world”
The three-day Smart Life Week ran for three days with a focus on people.
The slogan was “People-centered Technology Connecting to a Better Life.” The event was attended by 500 people, including mayors of 115 cities and officials from companies in 72 countries.
In his keynote speech, Mayor Oh introduced Seoul’s unique philosophy for the future of smart cities. First, he highlighted Seoul’s smart technology examples, including pet robots, Seoul Run, Wrist Doctor 9988, and autonomous buses.
“The city of Seoul considers the marginalized as much as possible so that they will be able to enjoy a comfortable and convenient smart life,” Oh added. “Accompanying the vulnerable is the way a smart city should go and a smart city can make it possible.”
Mayor Oh then toured the Showroom and Corporate Pavilion, which showcased technologies from 150 companies, along with a delegation of overseas mayors and Korean and foreign company officials.
Mayor Oh attended the Mayors’ Forum with mayors from 33 cities around the world. The theme was “Smart Cities of the Future Built Together.”
Forum participants shared smart city visions, experiences, and policy examples of cities around the world.
“The success of smart cities depends on the visions and leadership of city governments,” Mayor Oh said in his welcome address in the forum.
“While cities around the world can maintain their uniqueness, they can also share their experiences and resources with one another, but when they work together, they can make a bigger difference and create a better tomorrow.”
Smart City Cooperation with Riyadh of Saudi Arabia
Mayor Oh Se-hoon of Seoul met His Highness Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf, mayor of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, at the Seoul Metropolitan Government Building on Oct. 11.
They discussed cooperation on smart city development and cultural and industrial exchanges between Seoul and Riyadh.
They signed an MOU on friendship and cooperation.
This was Seoul’s fifth friendship agreement in the Middle East, following Tehran, Iran (2017), Muscat, Oman (2018), Tel Aviv, Israel (2019) and Abu Dhabi, the UAE (2024).
The meeting came as Faisal flew into Seoul for Smart Life Week (SLW), an ICT fair organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
Through this agreement, Seoul and Riyadh are expected to share technologies and policies related to the creation of a smart city, innovatively develop urban infrastructure, and cooperate in the growth of cultural industry by promoting exchanges of Korean cultural contents among others.
During the meeting, Oh introduced various cases of Seoul’s smart city and shared excellent policies that improve the daily lives of Seoul citizens.
Mayor Faisal explained Riyadh’s Riyadh Green Project and urban development policies.
In addition, they exchanged their views on Smart Life Week and smart city policies that improve citizens’ quality of life and securing digital fundamental rights that no one is left behind.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it will strengthen cooperation between the two cities and promote various activities such as human resources and cultural exchanges, starting with this agreement and meeting.
They are also planning to actively share smart city policies, infrastructure, and experiences.
