Hwaseong Special City's AI Expo 'MARS 2025' Draws 13,142 Visitors in Unprecedented Success

[Suwon Ilbo=Park Chan-hyuk Reporter] South Korea's first local government-led AI expo 'MARS 2025,' hosted by Hwaseong Special City, drew a remarkable 13,142 visitors over three days, marking an unprecedented success for a local government-sponsored event and garnering fresh recognition.

Held from June 18 to 20 at COEX C Hall and Conference Rooms in Seoul, 'MARS 2025' was the first AI event organized by a local government and received significant attention early on. Through the event, Hwaseong City established its status as an 'AI-leading city' both domestically and internationally.

The 'MARS 2025' expo venue was filled with energy throughout the three days. Hwaseong City operated a large exhibition space featuring 224 booths from 57 domestic and international companies, conveying AI technologies and policy vision vividly to visitors.

Visitors to the event remarked, "With this scale and composition, I naturally assumed a global major company was hosting it," and praised the event, saying "It's hard to believe that Hwaseong City, a basic local government, led this—the quality of execution is outstanding."

Journalists who covered 'MARS 2025,' National Assembly members, AI experts and scholars, and Gyeonggi Province officials also offered high praise, stating "We were impressed by Hwaseong City's planning capabilities and operational ability, which surpassed the typical level of a basic local government," and adding "'MARS 2025' is a case that even the private sector should benchmark."

Particularly at the opening ceremony where Hwaseong City officially declared itself an 'AI Future City,' attendees included National Assembly Speaker's Office Vice-Chairman Lee Hak-young, Science and Technology Committee Chairwoman Choi Min-hee, Assembly Members Kwon Chil-seung, Lee Jun-seok, Jung Dong-young, Seo Young-gyo, Kim Jong-min, Yeom Tae-young, Kim Sung-hoe, Kwon Hyang-yeop, Kim Moon-su, and Park Min-gyu, as well as Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Economy Ko Young-in, Composer Kim Hyung-suk, and UCLA Professor Dennis Hong, among other prominent figures, further enhancing the significance of the event.

Additionally, active investment exchanges took place through Demo Day and networking events that brought together 11 investment companies from six countries including the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Japan, alongside 19 domestic and international AI startups. By directly connecting promising companies with strong technology and growth potential to global investors, Hwaseong City proved its potential as an 'AI investment platform city.'

Meanwhile, on the second day of 'MARS 2025,' the city signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with MDM Group for the 'Dongtan (2) Healthcare REIT Project,' valued at approximately 2 trillion won, at an investment attraction briefing. The agreement was reached during an 'Investment Attraction Briefing' attended by 50 companies and drew keen interest, with approximately 120 officials from 50 domestic and international companies and related organizations including MDM Group, the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, and Korea Water Resources Corporation in attendance.

At the Hwaseong-style Basic Society Unanswered Questions Forum held the same day, the policy vision of 'Hwaseong-style Basic Society,' which Hwaseong City is pursuing, was shared. The forum was attended by National Assembly Member Cho Gye-won, Basic Society Association Chairman Kang Nam-hun, Kunsan National University Economics Professor Emeritus Jung Gyun-seung, National Assembly Speaker's Office Civil Livelihood Policy Secretary Kim Sung-yong, and Land+Freedom Research Institute Director Nam Ki-eop, among others. Discussions highlighted consensus that basic society policies led by local governments can serve as a sustainable alternative in an era when AI-driven social structural changes threaten communities.

On the final day, June 20, an MD consultation meeting was held for business matching between companies and startups within Hwaseong City and major distributors and venture investors, with active discussions on distribution cooperation and market expansion possibilities.

At the 'MARS 2025' exhibition, the world-renowned humanoid robot 'Ameca' made its domestic debut, drawing significant attention. Additionally, Hwaseong Special City's major AI policies including △Korea's first AI CCTV integrated control system, △public bus traffic safety solutions, and △robot and AI-based rehabilitation programs for people with disabilities were showcased at booths, generating strong visitor engagement.

'MARS 2025' was supported and operated through the full commitment of Hwaseong City officials and employees of affiliated organizations including the Hwaseong Industrial Promotion Agency, Hwaseong Urban Development Corporation, Hwaseong Research Institute, and Hwaseong Talent Development Foundation. The expo concluded successfully over three days without a single safety incident, earning high praise for Hwaseong City's large-scale event planning and operational capabilities.

Mayor Jung Myung-geun stated, "I sincerely thank everyone who participated in 'MARS 2025,'" and added, "This expo was a venue where Hwaseong Special City officially declared itself an AI Future City and demonstrated to the world that local governments can independently set the agenda and direction for the AI era."

He continued, "Hwaseong City will continue to pursue people-centered AI policies to ensure that AI becomes a public asset that supports citizens' lives and restores community," and further noted, "As a local government with responsible leadership, we will lead that direction and realize an AI Future City where all grow together."