Paju, a city in Gyeonggi Province, has begun a project to transform Paju Book City into a hub for the artificial intelligence (AI)-based content industry. The plan aims to expand the traditional publishing-centered industrial structure into an AI-based content industry.
Paju City recently held a briefing session for its "Basic Plan and Feasibility Study for Creating an AI Content City" project, the city announced on the 15th. The study aims to establish a mid- to long-term comprehensive plan for the book city.
The core of the project lies in utilizing the books and source content assets the book city has accumulated. The city plans to build an industrial ecosystem that expands existing publications into diverse secondary content such as video, games, and web content. The plan is to develop the entire city into a space for content creation and demonstration.
The study includes: an assessment of the book city's current status and the establishment of a transformation vision; strategies for fostering space, content, businesses, and talent; the design of AI infrastructure and a data management system; economic feasibility analysis; a strategy for responding to multi-ministry competitions; and the design of an operating structure and revenue model.
In particular, the city set its primary goal as being selected in the "Culture-Leading Industrial Complex" competition scheduled for 2027. The focus is on preparing an implementation strategy linked to central government competition projects. The city plans to develop a phased funding strategy by linking with projects from various ministries, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
The goal is to support the book city in building an industrial ecosystem that grows on its own without relying on state funding. The city will also establish a cooperative system involving resident companies, a cultural foundation, citizens, and experts. It is also reviewing ways to minimize conflicts during the transition process while respecting the identity of the existing industry.
The project period is approximately nine months from the contract date, with a total project cost of about 282 million won. It will be carried out through a negotiated contract method, with a business operator selected based on a ratio of 90 points for technical evaluation and 10 points for price evaluation.
"This study is not simply research, but a project that simultaneously prepares the implementation strategy and foundation for selection in a government competition," a Paju City official said. "We will systematically prepare so that the book city can leap from a publishing-centered city to an AI-based content industry city."
