Power, water and workforce demand analyzed as province maps short-, mid- and long-term strategies for AI transformation
South Chungcheong Province is stepping up its "3-force innovation" initiative — covering power, water and workforce — to lay the groundwork for AI transformation and advanced industry growth.
The province held the second meeting of its "South Chungcheong 3-Force Innovation Task Force" at the provincial government building Thursday, chaired by Vice Governor Hong Jong-wan. Officials shared the results of sector-by-sector condition analyses and discussed short-term (through 2030), mid-term (through 2040) and long-term (through 2050) action plans for each area.
The task force held its first meeting on July 31, when it discussed the overall direction of the initiative and identified sector-specific challenges. The province subsequently worked with the Chungnam Research Institute to analyze current conditions and future demand for all three resources, with a focus on advanced industries.
At Thursday's second meeting, analysts concluded that demand for all three resources will continue to rise as investment in advanced industries expands, prompting a focused review of response measures for each sector.
On the power front, the province plans to develop a mid- to long-term electricity demand outlook and a roadmap for securing alternative power sources, while expanding the grid through the construction of new substations.
For water, the province will proactively identify future demand and work to expand and maintain its allocation from the regional water supply network. In parallel, it will pursue measures to improve water efficiency and secure alternative sources, including new water supplies and seawater desalination.
On workforce, the province will expand the training of high-level talent through AI-focused universities and AI transformation graduate programs, broaden education for workers already in the field, and strengthen employment linkages and regional settlement support.
For investment, the province outlined concrete action plans to regularly monitor the progress and challenges of large-scale investors and to provide tailored support at each stage of investment by linking it to infrastructure demand for power, water and workforce.
Based on Thursday's discussions, the province said it will continue refining sector-specific action items and develop a comprehensive "South Chungcheong 3-Force Innovation Master Plan" that integrates the management of power, water and workforce — with the aim of creating a virtuous cycle connecting advanced industry investment to regional growth.
"Securing key infrastructure — power, water and workforce — at the right time is essential to sustaining advanced industry investment and supporting the stable growth of businesses," Vice Governor Hong said. "We will move forward with the implementation capacity needed to respond proactively, in step with the timeline, based on our demand analysis."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
