Feature "Citizens Create Apps to Solve Problems"…Hwaseong Special City Holds Nation's First 'AI Hwaseong Challenge' on 17th

Hwaseong Special City (Mayor Jung Myung-geun) will host the nation's first 『From Citizens' Perspective to Administrative Innovation - AI Hwaseong Challenge』 (hereinafter 『AI Hwaseong Challenge』) on the 17th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the main hall of City Hall.

The 『AI Hwaseong Challenge』 is a citizen-participation problem-solving competition where citizens, university students, and public officials directly utilize vibe coding to identify urban issues closely related to citizens' lives and implement and verify solutions.

The core of the event, 'Vibe Coding,' is a development method where those unfamiliar with programming languages can explain their ideas in everyday language and text, and AI automatically writes the code to complete the program. This vibe coding approach enables citizens and public officials without specialized coding knowledge to complete and present their own AI programs as long as they have creative ideas, which is the most distinctive feature of this 『AI Hwaseong Challenge』.

◇ "Don't Know How to Code? One Word and the App Is Done!"

Hosted by Hwaseong Special City's AI Smart Strategy Office and jointly organized by five institutions including Hwaseong City Research Institute, University of Suwon, Hyupsung University, and Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency, the event is divided into three major parts.

▲In the first part, the 'Citizens and Public Officials AI Contest,' citizens and public officials showcase AI-implemented services based on ideas discovered from daily life and administrative sites. Evaluation will be based on practical applicability and citizen satisfaction, with final presentations, evaluations, and awards for 6 outstanding entries (3 from citizens, 3 from public officials) selected through preliminary and secondary reviews.

Next, in the second part, the 'University Student AI DATA Competition,' 8 final solutions selected from a total of 24 projects developed by students from University of Suwon and Hyupsung University using Hwaseong City's urban data will be unveiled. This is expected to serve as an opportunity to solidify a regional coexistence-type AI ecosystem based on the industry-government-academia cooperation governance 'H-AIDA (Hwaseong AI·DATA Alliance),' in which administrative, research, university, and industrial institutions unite centered on Hwaseong Special City.

Finally, ▲in the third part, the 'AI Champion Results Sharing Session,' employees who completed the AI Champion Education program for Hwaseong City public officials will present work improvement results developed using AI based on practical difficulties in administrative sites and share development processes and future administrative application possibilities. Through this, outstanding ideas and educational achievements are expected to be disseminated across all departments, and by sharing experiences among employees, it is anticipated to contribute to administrative work improvement and the spread of AI utilization culture throughout the civil service.

Additionally, extensive awards and recognitions are being given in this challenge to encourage creative idea proposals and technical achievements from participants. ▲Including the Citizens and Public Officials Contest, ▲the University Student AI DATA Competition, and ▲the AI Champion Results Sharing Session, a total of 17 certificates with mayor's awards (13) and Hwaseong City Research Institute Director's awards (4) along with award money will be presented.

Meanwhile, the city plans to continue follow-up support so that apps and programs discovered through this AI Hwaseong Challenge can be utilized in actual administrative sites and city policies. To this end, the usability of each project will be reviewed, and projects with high applicability will be operated as actual services linked to the infrastructure of the 'Hwaseong City Problem-Solving Urban Data Platform.'

◇ Hwaseong Special City Establishes Nation's First AI-Dedicated Department and Hosts AI EXPO 「MARS 2025」

The unique AI administrative achievements of Hwaseong Special City are not new.

In 2024, when the concept of AI was still unfamiliar to local government administration, Hwaseong Special City became the nation's first local government to establish a dedicated AI organization and opened the first path for South Korea's AI-driven administration. By proactively establishing an AI specialist department and deploying dedicated personnel at a time when other local governments hesitated, Hwaseong Special City secured the infrastructure for introducing artificial intelligence across city administration first among all regions in the nation.

This 'nation's first' initiative continued in the promotional field. Hwaseong Special City received significant attention in 2024 by becoming the nation's first local government to hold the 'Star-Filled Hwaseong Awards,' an AI commercial contest utilizing generative AI. By becoming the first to present an innovative stage where ordinary citizens, not professional producers, directly implement content with AI, it established the foundation for AI with citizens first among all regions in the nation.

Furthermore, Hwaseong Special City, as the first local government, successfully hosted 'MARS 2025,' a large-scale AI expo at Seoul COEX, drawing nationwide attention. Through such proactive 'nation's first' AI administration, Hwaseong Special City is bearing fruit as an advanced model of South Korea's AI administration that has evolved to one level higher, where citizens, university students, and public officials together solve urban problems through this 『AI Hwaseong Challenge』.

◇ Hwaseong Special City to Host 「MARS 2026」 at Seoul COEX for Three Days Starting November 3rd

Meanwhile, the city will carry forward the fruits of this 『AI Hwaseong Challenge』 through the nation's representative AI EXPO 「MARS 2026」 from November 3rd to 5th.

「MARS 2026」 is an AI expo hosted by Hwaseong Special City that brings together the essence of future core advanced industries: ▲Moving City AI (future vehicles, autonomous driving, UAM) ▲AX & Physical AI (manufacturing, industrial AI transformation, and robotics) ▲Real Life AI (healthcare, smart home) ▲Sustainable City AI (transportation, safety, urban data infrastructure) ▲X-Space AI (aerospace, satellite data).

The EXPO will feature cutting-edge AI technology exhibitions as well as various programs including seminars, forums, conferences, IR pitching, and investment consultation sessions. By providing a gathering place for companies, investors, and AI experts, the plan is to connect Hwaseong's AI industrial ecosystem with the world and create new business opportunities.

◇ Mayor Jung Myung-geun: "Results Achieved in Nation's First 『AI Hwaseong Challenge』 Will Be Actively Reflected"

Jung Myung-geun, Mayor of Hwaseong Special City, stated, "The 『AI Hwaseong Challenge』 being held for the first time in the nation is a moment to prove to the entire country that AI is not a grandiose and difficult technology but a tool that makes citizens' lives more comfortable and lowers the threshold of administration," adding, "In Hwaseong Special City, which has pioneered the first path as a local government, citizens, university students, and public officials will all put their heads together to directly turn the city's tomorrow into reality."

Furthermore, Mayor Jung Myung-geun stated, "Based on the foundation of pioneering South Korea's first AI-driven administration, Hwaseong Special City will actively reflect the achievements discovered in this challenge across city administration," and expressed his commitment, stating, "We will also lead the successful hosting of 「MARS 2026」 in November and confidently present the AI ecosystem and future urban vision that Hwaseong has built to the entire world."