South Korea Prepares 15 Future Projects: There Is A Package Sending Robot To A Carbon Neutral City

Illustration of Seoul Station, South Korea. (Wikimedia Commons/LERK)

JAKARTA - The South Korean government announced plans to commercialize package deliveries with robots and drones from 2026 and 2027, as part of efforts to build a next-generation logistics system.

South Korea also said it would start trials of urban air mobility vehicles (UAM) with six Korean consortiums to fully commercialize them by 2025, while opening an independent organization responsible for aerospace programs led by countries and aeronautical research by the end of this year.

Announced in an emergency meeting of ministers linked to the economy, these measures are part of the progress made by the government under a blueprint for economic development covering 15 projects, entitled "New Growth Strategy 4.0."

The blueprint was launched in December 2022, in line with efforts to push the growth engine led by the private sector amid rising demand to reverse productivity slowdowns.

The 15 projects are linked to future mobility, independent space exploration, quantum technology, medical technology, green energy, artificial intelligence (AI)-based digital technology, smart logistics, carbon-neutral cities, smart agriculture, smart networks, semiconductors and screens, bio clusters, tourism clusters centered at the former Cheong Wa Dae presidential office, research and development on specific visual effects, metaverses and virtual reality, as well as winning large overseas deals for construction projects, defense and nuclear plants.

"It is important for the government to seek proactive investments in future-oriented sectors to revitalize the economy," Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economics and Finance Choo Kyung-ho said at the emergency meeting.

To ensure the 15 projects are implemented on time, the government plans to announce at least 30 follow-up steps by 2023, with more than 20 of them in the first half of this year.

Regarding tourism, the government wants to build five tourist resorts that can be aligned with Cancun in Mexico starting in 2027.

Therefore, the government encourages to make a master plan at the end of 2023 for tourism and recreational cities in coastal areas.

Research and development on special visual effects, metaverse and virtual reality aim to create a domestic version of Walt Disney Company to better take advantage of the popularity of Korean films and dramas.

To make this happen, the government plans to raise funds of 410 billion won (316 million US dollars) by the end of 2023, with half of the funds coming from the private sector.

Funds of another 500 billion won will be collected in the first half of this year to develop vaccines and treat infectious diseases.

The government will select candidates for zero-emission cities in the second half of 2023, which will eventually become carbon-neutral cities by 2030.