Joint Press Release

Seoul, August 7, 2020

The Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) and the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) co-organized a Webinar on CJK Smart Cities on the theme of “Synthesizing Smart City Initiatives” for their respective members, partners, and stakeholders in China, Japan, and Korea, on Wednesday, August 5. The two-hour event—broadcast live on Zoom and YouTube with simultaneous interpretation in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean—was watched by over 500 national and local government officials, UN and other institutional representatives, and innovators from multinational corporations based in the region.

Sessions included presentations on smart city initiatives and the need for cooperation through regional partnerships that promote knowledge exchange and joint strategies toward smart city development across China, Japan, and Korea. Directors from national networks of cities including the China Center for Urban Development (CCUD), Smart City Institute Japan (SCI-Japan), and Smart City Association (SCA) of Korea shared the current status of smart cities in their respective countries, along with their plans for the future.

Leaders in smart city policy from the capitals of Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul introduced their own cases of best practice such as in 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), and big data (Beijing); smart tech solutions for tourism, healthcare, disaster prevention, and autonomous driving (Tokyo); and an integrated platform for real-time information on traffic, hazards, parking, and others (Seoul).

In a panel discussion with the private sector, key consultants from Alibaba, NEC, and Samsung SDS explored how their services could transform the smart city landscape across the region for the improvement of citizens’ lives, in close partnership with the public sector.

Heads of the co-organizers TCS and WeGO expressed high expectations for regional co-prosperity through joint projects in the area of smart cities. In their opening remarks, TCS Secretary-General Hisashi Michigami declared the webinar a momentous initial step by the three countries toward smart city cooperation, while WeGO Secretary General Kyong-yul Lee envisioned the world’s first model of a trilateral dynamic of public-private partnerships for smart cities.

With the Fourth Industrial Revolution and pandemic of COVID-19, smart cities have become key to sustainable urban development and the safety of citizens’ health. China, Japan, and Korea represent 24% of the world’s GDP, and their capitals alone could reach a GDP of as much as USD $4 trillion by 2035.

CJK Smart City Forum

The Webinar on CJK Smart Cities was organized ahead of plans by TCS and WeGO to jointly establish a smart city cooperation platform for China, Japan, and Korea. The organizations seek to launch the platform in the coming year at a “CJK Smart City Forum” for governors and mayors, possibly in Japan with the support of SCI-Japan.

In preparation for the event, TCS and WeGO are scheduled to circulate by the end of the month a post-webinar report summarizing the conclusions from the Webinar on CJK Smart Cities and proposing the further actions to be taken in preparation for the CJK Smart City Forum.

 

ABOUT TCS:
TCS is an international organization established with a vision to promote peace and common prosperity among the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. Upon the agreement signed and ratified by each of the three governments, TCS was officially inaugurated in Seoul in September 2011. On the basis of equal participation, each government shares 1/3 of the total operational budget.

ABOUT WeGO:
Established in 2010, WeGO is an international association of close to 210 city and other local governments, smart tech solution providers, and national and regional institutions committed to the worldwide transformation of cities into smart sustainable cities. With a vision of “Smart Sustainable Cities for All,” the organization works toward the realization of innovative cities that leverage digital technology and connectivity to improve quality of life, efficiency of urban operation and services, and economic prosperity for all citizens, while ensuring long-term economic, social, and environmental sustainability. WeGO’s Secretariat is based in Seoul, and is supported by regional offices in East Asia (Chengdu, China), Eurasia (Ulyanovsk Region, Russia), the Mediterranean (Beyoğlu, Turkey), and Latin America (Mexico City, Mexico).

 

Press Contact:

For TCS
Kwang-hyun Cho
kwanghyun.cho@tcs-asia.org

For WeGO
Alizée Rousset
alizee@we-gov.org