District analyzes domestic and international AI technology, policy and administrative trends to chart locally tailored adoption roadmap
Staff AI capacity to be strengthened alongside ethics and personal data protection safeguards
Seoul's Seongbuk-gu has completed a consulting project to build a "Seongbuk-style AI model" and will pursue a medium- to long-term artificial intelligence transformation, or AX, integrating AI into administrative operations and resident services.
Through the project, the district analyzed domestic and international AI technology and policy trends alongside the administrative environment of basic local governments, and reviewed which areas of district operations could benefit from AI adoption. Building on those findings, Seongbuk-gu plans to identify tasks where AI can improve administrative efficiency — including streamlining repetitive work — and to develop a phased roadmap for applying AI in areas closely tied to residents' daily lives, such as civil complaints, welfare, safety, the environment and culture, tailored to the district's specific characteristics.
The district is also working to strengthen employees' AI capabilities. Three Seongbuk-gu staff members have completed the "AI Champion" program, a public-sector AI and data practitioner training course run by the Ministry of Interior and Safety. One completed the Blue track and two the Green track; the program is divided into Black, Blue and Green levels.
Going forward, the district will support employees in developing "vibe coding" skills — using AI to build programs and solve work problems directly. An AI competition is also planned to surface cases applicable to actual administrative tasks.
Seongbuk-gu will also establish a foundation for safe AI use. The district plans to strengthen education on AI ethics and personal data protection and to build a regulatory framework, including the enactment of relevant ordinances, to minimize side effects from adopting the technology.
In addition, the district plans to expand AI education within its outreach digital-literacy program so that elderly residents and those with limited access to information are not left behind, covering basic AI concepts and practical everyday applications.
This year, Seongbuk-gu has budgeted about 2.2 billion won ($1.62 million) across 24 projects, including the introduction of AI visual-assistance devices and AI-based psychological screening support for vulnerable children and youth.
The district intends to link the consulting results with existing projects to gradually broaden the scope of AI adoption.
"The Seongbuk-style AX transformation is aimed at solving problems on the administrative front line and creating changes that residents can feel," District Mayor Lee Seung-ro said. "We will raise the capabilities of both staff and residents together, and build a safe foundation that reduces side effects such as errors and personal data breaches."
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