Seoul Smart City Prize Winners Have Been Announced
Global cities and institutions received recognition for innovative urban policies during an awards ceremony in South Korea.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Remote Work
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The World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization has named 21 winners of the Seoul Smart City Prize. These awards honor urban centers for their implementation of innovative technological and people-centered policies.
Why it matters
The prize highlights how municipal governments are leveraging advanced technology to improve administrative efficiency and urban livability. By recognizing these projects, the organization provides a global benchmark for sustainable city development.
The competition reviewed 210 entries to select 21 winning projects. Madrid reported that 83% of its administrative services are now digital, while Kaohsiung successfully utilized AI to preserve 87% of its high-risk roadside trees.
The players
World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization
This international body oversees the evaluation and selection process for urban innovation projects.
Madrid
The capital of Spain was recognized as a gold prize winner for its digital administrative transformation and AI usage.
Kaohsiung
This city in Taiwan received recognition for deploying artificial intelligence models to manage urban forestry.
The details
The winners were honored at a ceremony held at COEX in Seoul during Smart Life Week. Recognized projects included Madrid and Quelimane, which received gold prizes, and leadership awards granted to the mayors of Elliniko-Argyroupolis and Escobar.
Timeline
Madrid began transitioning administrative services to digital platforms in 2019.
The awards ceremony took place at COEX in Seoul on October 6, 2026.
The fifth competition cycle is scheduled to begin in January 2027.
Market Landscape
The Seoul Smart City Prize serves as a growing framework for international urban modernization standards. This competition intensifies the global race among municipalities to adopt digital-first infrastructure and artificial intelligence to attract investment and improve public services.
Residents in winning cities may experience faster service delivery as administrative processes transition to digital platforms. The global adoption of these technologies aims to reduce bureaucratic delays and improve public space maintenance for citizens.
The takeaway
The success of these cities demonstrates that integrating AI and digital platforms can significantly streamline municipal operations. Other urban centers looking to modernize should prioritize scalable technological projects that address specific local challenges like forest preservation.
What happens next
The fifth competition cycle for the Seoul Smart City Prize is scheduled to commence in January 2027.
Further reading
For more on the evolution of digital infrastructure, explore our Remote Work section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 조선일보.
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