Six outstanding projects selected through document and presentation reviews

An exterior view of Busan City Hall [Busan city government]
An exterior view of Busan City Hall [Busan city government]

Busan city government held the final presentation of its third Data and AI Utilization Competition at a seminar room on the seventh floor of HJ Convention Center on Friday afternoon.

The competition was designed to encourage city employees to apply data analysis and AI skills acquired through training to real administrative tasks, and to identify and share outstanding examples of on-the-ground problem solving.

This year, the city departed from its previous approach of running training and the competition as separate programs. Instead, participants identified actual workplace problems and developed solutions during the training itself, with those results submitted directly as competition entries — a change aimed at improving practical impact.

A total of 666 entries were submitted through the city's data talent development training program. After two rounds of document screening, six outstanding projects were selected as finalists.

At Friday's final presentation, the six projects covered AI-based integrated task management, one-stop automation spanning inspection requests through to test reports and reagent and glassware supply records, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)-based policy and legislative support, local AI-based vehicle complaint handling, generative AI-assisted LTE-R signal and remote radio unit inspection, and a spatial data analysis of Busan's performing arts and cultural living zones.

Four external experts conducted the final evaluation, combining scores from the second-round document review (60 percent) and the day's presentation (40 percent). A total of four projects were recognized — two as top honors and two as excellence awards — with the mayor's prize presented to each.

The city plans to closely examine whether the administrative problems identified through the competition can be analyzed using data and whether the findings can be meaningfully applied to improving operations and shaping policy.

"For data and AI to be used effectively in public administration, it is important that employees have the ability to clearly identify problems in the field and develop solutions," said Yun Jeong-no, the city's planning officer. "We will strengthen employees' capabilities through tailored training based on real administrative challenges, and work to deliver public services that citizens can genuinely feel the difference in."


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com