SEOSAN — President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday announced a significant plan to release military-protected lands for public use, aiming to construct vital facilities and foster regional economic growth. The initiative was unveiled during a public debate on livelihood issues hosted at a military airfield in Seosan, located 98 kilometers southwest of Seoul. This meeting marked the 15th of its series.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the government will make 339 square kilometers of military facility protection zones available for development. This release includes 141 square kilometers of land surrounding the Seosan airfield. Yoon emphasized the decision was made after thoroughly considering the demands of local residents, ensuring that national security would not be compromised. He highlighted that 8.2 percent of the country’s territory is currently designated as military facility protection zones, a status that has significantly restricted the construction of schools and other critical infrastructure since their inception in the 1970s.
The plan is expected to have a substantial impact on South Chungcheong Province, the location of Seosan. Yoon praised the region for its contribution to the national economy, particularly in the auto and display panel industries, and for its plans to construct a civilian airport. By lifting the restrictions of military zones, South Chungcheong Province is anticipated to secure the necessary space and conditions to become a pivotal economic hub in the Yellow Sea Rim. The government also plans to establish a free economic zone in the province, aiming to facilitate collaborations between foreign technology firms and local businesses.
Yoon further detailed specific development plans for South Chungcheong Province, including transforming Cheonan and Hongseong into industrial complexes focused on future mobility solutions, and establishing a defense industry cluster in Nonsan to leverage the existing military infrastructure. In Dangjin, a business innovation park is planned, expected to attract 35 mobility companies with services ranging from auto parts to car maintenance, generating an estimated 9.6 trillion won in economic benefits and creating 32,000 jobs.
The announcement aligns with Yoon’s broader agenda for deregulation across various sectors of the economy, including housing, financial markets, and industrial complexes, to address market distortions and encourage fair competition. Additionally, Yoon recently proposed plans to ease restrictions on “greenbelt” zones to promote environmental conservation while allowing for development.
The main opposition Democratic Party has criticized the president’s initiatives, labeling them as attempts to garner voter support through pork-barrel policies ahead of the upcoming general elections in April.
BARCELONA, SPAIN — Samsung Electronics Co. announced on Monday its participation in an alliance led by U.S. semiconductor giant Nvidia, aiming to dominate the next wave of 6G network technologies infused with artificial intelligence (AI).
According to Yonhap News Agency, the collaboration was formalized with the launch of the AI-RAN Alliance at this year’s Mobile World Congress, underscoring a concerted effort among leaders in semiconductor, telecommunications, and software industries, including Nvidia, Arm, SoftBank, Ericsson, Nokia, and Microsoft.
The Mobile World Congress 2024, which commenced its four-day agenda on Monday in Barcelona, Spain, serves as the backdrop for the unveiling of this strategic partnership. The AI-RAN Alliance is committed to fostering an ecosystem conducive to the research and development of 6G technology, with a focus on merging AI with wireless communications technologies. Samsung Electronics highlighted its role as a founding member of the alliance, emphasizing its dedication to pioneering 6G research, fostering innovation in services, and improving network efficiency through the integration of AI into wireless communications.
Furthermore, the AI-RAN Alliance has planned the establishment of three working groups, each tasked with exploring network technologies tailored for the convergence of AI and 6G across various sectors. Samsung Electronics, recognized for its leadership in the global smartphone and memory chip markets, anticipates that the alliance’s research efforts will significantly contribute to the standardization and commercialization of 6G technology. This includes the identification of new services, as well as the development of technical requirements and specifications.
This initiative aligns with Samsung Electronics’ strategic focus on advancing next-generation communication technologies. In 2019, the company inaugurated the Advanced Communications Research Center and hosted the first Samsung 6G Forum in 2022. Earlier this month, Samsung also announced a partnership with Princeton University in the United States to co-develop cutting-edge 6G network technologies, further solidifying its commitment to leading the evolution of telecommunications.