The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced on April 13 that it would launch a series of pilot projects to test smart city solutions based on AI in five Southeast Asian countries.
This initiative is part of a strategy to promote the export of urban technologies and to support Korean companies in their expansion into international markets. According to information released by MOLIT, six projects have been selected to be implemented as part of the K-City Network 2026 program – a collaborative initiative funded by the South Korean government, focused on sharing expertise in urban planning, technology transfer, and support for feasibility studies for smart city projects abroad.
Through this program, South Korea aims to lay the foundation for long-term cooperation with partner countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, a region facing rapid urbanization and intense pressure on its infrastructure.
The selected projects this year aim to develop smart urban operating systems capable of self-analyzing and solving urban problems through AI and data, in areas such as transportation, security, and the environment. AI will play a key role in optimizing transportation, managing natural disasters, and water resource management.
Specifically, in the field of transportation – one of the most urgent issues in urban areas – several pilot projects have been selected. In Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), AI and big data-based on-demand transport services will be implemented to reduce waiting times in public transportation and transition to an efficient user-centric transportation system.
Additionally, in Can Tho city, AI-based technology for abnormal situation detection combined with intelligent traffic management will be deployed to enhance safety at complex intersections.
In Bacoor City (Philippines), an intelligent traffic management system based on AI will be implemented, allowing real-time traffic analysis and traffic light optimization.
In Penang (Malaysia), an AI-based traffic management system and video surveillance will be set up to detect accidents and traffic jams in real-time, verifying the capabilities of a smart city.
In Brunei, the project aims to build and operate an integrated smart city platform based on AI to improve water management and disaster response, while taking into account local specificities. It is expected to serve as a springboard for the future development of technological exports related to Brunei’s smart city projects.
In terms of security, the city of Surin (Thailand) will test an integrated security management solution for old buildings, combining damping technology and AI-based structural monitoring. The Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure (MOLIT) hopes that this project will pave the way for entering the building security management market in Southeast Asia.
The Ministry of Urban Development and Investment (MOI) stated that through these pilot projects, South Korea will verify the feasibility of smart city technologies in different contexts and countries, while improving technological efficiency to meet the practical needs of partner cities. Based on this assessment, South Korea will strengthen its cooperation with governments and businesses in host countries to develop its export and investment projects.
Kim Hyo-jung, director of urban policies at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Tourism (MOLIT), stated that smart cities are no longer just about infrastructure but are evolving into intelligent systems where AI manages the entire city.
Through this project, South Korea will demonstrate on the ground that Korean-style AI urban technology can solve practical problems in foreign cities and develop into an important export industry.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/han-quoc-thu-cong-nghe-thanh-pho-thong-minh-dua-tren-ai-tai-5-nuoc-dong-nam-a-post1104706.vnp
