Suwon Special City will build smart city services powered by physical AI technology in the Paldal-gu area, including around Suwon Station and the Hwaseo and Godeung-dong neighborhoods.
The city held a project launch briefing Tuesday at the city hall conference room to share the direction and detailed plans for the "Suwon Hub-Type Smart City Development Project."
Suwon was selected in June for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 2026 Hub-Type Smart City Development Project and will receive up to 16 billion won ($12.1 million) in national funding over three years. The program aims to create a comprehensive pilot city capable of serving as a hub for spreading smart city models nationwide.
The city will build physical AI-based smart city services in the areas around Suwon Station and Hwaseo and Godeung-dong, supporting corporate pilot programs to drive data-based urban innovation.
Using physical AI technology, the project will establish four hub zones: a transportation hub, a citizen convenience hub, a safety and disaster response hub, and an inclusive education hub.
The transportation hub will introduce a smart mobility system featuring car-sharing and parking robots, while the citizen convenience hub will deploy robots at a civic engagement center and for delivery at traditional markets. A patrol robot and disaster response platform will strengthen the safety and disaster management system, and wearable physical AI health care services along with a physical AI startup support center will create an inclusive education environment.
Eight organizations are participating in the project: Suwon Urban Foundation, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, Korea Electric Power Data Network, CL Mobility, Gaon Robotics, Colosseum Corporation and Young-guk C&P.
Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun said the city must put the convenience of residents who will use the hub-type smart city services first. "I hope the results of this pilot city development project will be applied usefully to other Suwon initiatives and pursued systematically so they can spread across the country," Lee said.
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