Seoul and Sapporo highlight green policies at SCSE

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's trading partners took center stage on Thursday (March 21), the third day of the 11th Smart City Summit and Expo (SCSE), highlighting their significant contributions and innovations abroad. 

Seoul Digital Foundation President Yosik Kang discussed their efforts in building smart cities through digital transformation and implementing new green policies. 

Unlike the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), which focuses on North America and European countries, Kang noted, SCSE offers better representation for the Asia-Pacific region, underscoring the importance of promoting policies and solutions to enhance global competitiveness and co-create a better tomorrow. 

"SDF is engaging in smart city solution exchange projects as part of our global cooperation, supporting validation and market entry to address urban issues with solutions from our partner cities," Kang stated.

Meanwhile, Hitoshi Yoshitake, senior manager at Pasona Inc. from Sapporo City in Hokkaido, showcased their industry's shift from focusing on food and tourism to IT, semiconductors, and renewable energy. 

"We had a meeting with several IT companies," Yoshitake shared. In discussions with counterparts from Seoul, he found a shared ambition for green transformation and digitalization of society. 

Yoshitake further explored plans to establish "Hokkaido Valley," a hub for IT and semiconductor industries, acknowledging similar challenges faced by cities like Taipei and Seoul, including decreasing populations. 

He suggested that cities such as Seoul, Taiwan, and Sapporo should communicate closely to support each other's global expansion more effectively. 

This year's SCSE emphasized the significance of international learning in smart city development, equipping Taipei and other Taiwanese cities with the knowledge to move towards more eco-friendly and efficient urban futures.