By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is accelerating efforts to attract global leaders in next-generation industries, such as AI, fintech, semiconductors, and quantum computing, as Seoul emerges as a testbed and investment hub for global strategic industries. After the American AI and data cloud company Snowflake and Swiss quantum security semiconductor developer SEALSQ invested in Seoul earlier this year, French quantum computing leader Pasqal decided to join, marking the city’s third consecutive success in attracting global strategic industry leaders across
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) will gradually introduce an EMV-based open-loop transit payment system to improve convenience for international tourists using public transportation. This system will allow travelers to ride buses and subways in Seoul directly with their overseas credit cards without purchasing or reloading a separate transit card. Following the pandemic, the number of international tourists to Seoul has surged. In 2024, the figure reached 16.36 million, and this year’s total is expected to exceed 20 million. However, travelers have continu
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has drawn global attention for its efforts to provide healthy meals for children, receiving the top prize at the Milan Pact Awards during the 10th anniversary Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) Global Forum 2025, which brought together 336 cities from around the world. The award ceremony took place on Oct. 15 at Piccolo Teatro Studio Melato in Milan, Italy, where the SMG received a trophy and a cash prize of €20,000. Since joining the MUFPP in 2015, the SMG has actively engaged in international cooperation and policy ex
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is accepting nominations for this year’s Seoul Honorary Citizenship program from Mar. 24 to Apr. 21, targeting foreign nationals who have helped improve Seoul’s global status in various fields, such as economy, culture, welfare, science, and AI. Established in 1958, the Seoul Honorary Citizenship program expresses gratitude and respect to foreign dignitaries who have served to bridge Seoul and the world. This also includes everyday foreign residents who have contributed to the city’s development and quality of life. So fa