VANK is inviting citizens to help shape the planned Global AI Hub in Korea, launching a policy idea contest to solicit proposals on international cooperation and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to address global challenges.
VANK announced on October 23, 2026, that it would open the “Policy Idea Contest for Promoting the Republic of Korea as a Global AI Hub” on October 24, United Nations Day. The contest will accept submissions through November 24, with selected proposals scheduled to be announced on November 30 and forwarded to relevant government ministries.
The government-backed Global AI Hub is envisioned as an international cooperation center where international organizations, national governments, global technology companies, universities and research institutions work together to tackle shared challenges, including climate change, public health, food security and poverty, using AI technology.
The proposed hub is expected to include a joint campus involving nine UN agencies, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Five multilateral development banks are also expected to participate: the World Bank (WB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
The government held a public hearing on site selection on October 14 and plans to begin accepting bids from metropolitan governments nationwide at the end of October. Through the contest, VANK aims to ensure that citizens can contribute ideas as the project takes shape, rather than leaving decisions solely to government officials and experts.
The contest has three main themes: identifying the most suitable location for the hub and proposing ways to promote regional cooperation; developing operating models for the joint campus and approaches to citizen participation in its governance; and proposing ways to use AI to address global challenges such as climate change, public health and refugee issues.
Participants can submit their ideas through the “Model UN” section of VANK’s AI Secretaries-General platform at earthvision.one. Following a review process, VANK will announce the selected proposals on November 30 and submit them to the relevant government agencies for consideration.
VANK said the contest is intended to put into practice the principle of citizen participation reflected in the opening words of the UN Charter, adopted in 1945: “We the Peoples of the United Nations.” The organization argues that the planned hub should be more than a center for technology and international organizations; it should also provide a platform for citizens to contribute directly to international policy discussions and help develop solutions.
“The joint campus for international organizations to be established in South Korea should serve as an opportunity for citizens to move beyond being mere beneficiaries of policy and become active participants who directly plan and implement it,” VANK Director Park Gi-tae said.
VANK researchers Lee Sun-hee, Kwon So-young and Koo Seung-hyun also stressed the importance of public participation, noting that Korea’s ambition to become a global AI hub requires more than technological infrastructure. They said young people and citizens should take an active role in identifying shared global challenges, proposing solutions and participating in the policymaking process.
Through the contest, VANK hopes to broaden public involvement in international cooperation and explore how South Korea can contribute to addressing global challenges through AI and citizen-led policy ideas.