Wonju, a city in Gangwon Province, is set to invest over 20 billion KRW (about 13.2 million USD) in the next five years to revolutionize its local beauty and medical device industries.
The city has secured approximately 15 billion KRW (about 9.9 million USD) in federal funding after winning a bid for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s project aimed at establishing a global commercialization foundation for artificial intelligence (AI) integrated aesthetic medical devices. With this funding, Wonju plans to foster new industries that merge AI technology with dermatological data by 2030, allocating a total budget of around 21.75 billion KRW (about 14.4 million USD).
The project’s core initiatives include supporting the development of AI-integrated aesthetic medical devices, creating infrastructure for prototype production and testing, and implementing a comprehensive support system for global market entry and marketing.
To realize these goals, Wonju is forming a consortium with Gangwon Province, the Wonju Medical Device Industry Promotion Agency, Yonsei University’s Future Industry Cooperation Group, and the Korea AI Medical Healthcare Research Institute. This collaboration aims to build an ecosystem for the AI-integrated aesthetic industry, leveraging partnerships between industry, academia, and research institutions.
Mayor Won Kang-soo emphasized the significance of this development, stating that this funding marks a turning point for Wonju’s medical device industry, particularly in the AI-driven aesthetic sector. It is committed to establishing Wonju as a global leader in the AI-integrated K-beauty industry.