Ha Jung-woo, standing vice chairman of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Committee, toured artificial intelligence projects underway in Gangwon State.
According to the committee on the 20th, Ha began his schedule on the 19th at the Pyeongchang County Public Health and Medical Center, where he viewed the Digital Innovation Center, also known as the Gangwon Digital Healthcare Center, and heard about the county's medical AI and digital health applications and its longer-term plans. The center runs an AI-based service for older residents that manages medication adherence and analyzes and recommends exercise, part of an effort to fill gaps in regional, essential and public health care aimed at managing chronic illness and preventing frailty.
Ha also attended the 2026 ITS World Congress in Gangneung, where he delivered a speech under the theme "Transport That Thinks With AI, Mobility for All." He stressed how AI will reshape the future of transportation and the importance of international cooperation. He then visited the Gangneung campus of Korea Polytechnic University for a meeting with Lee Chul-soo, chairman of the school foundation, to discuss ways to train young workers in practical AI skills.
On the 20th, Ha traveled to Donghae to review progress on the Donghae AI data center, one of three mega-projects in the government's national growth initiative. He was briefed by GS Donghae Electric Power on the plan to build the center and on how it will secure electricity and water, and he toured the planned site inside the Bukpyeong No. 2 General Industrial Complex. "The Donghae AI data center is core infrastructure that will support Korea's push to become one of the world's top three AI powers, and it can be a new growth opportunity for the region," Ha said. "I will look into the challenges that arise as the project moves forward, including securing power and water." The Donghae AI data center is to be built out to a total capacity of 2.4 gigawatts by 2029. Total investment is about 30 trillion won ($20.8 billion), and is projected to reach roughly 120 trillion won ($83.3 billion) including equipment such as graphics processing units and memory chips.
Wrapping up the two-day trip, Ha said the results of the AI transition "must not stop at technological progress but must lead to real changes in people's daily lives and in regional industries." He added, "From residents in areas underserved by health care, to young people learning the technology, to companies committing large-scale investment, the committee will take the lead in channeling voices from the field into policy across the government."