Seoul Ranks as 7th Global Power City Among 35 Cities

SEOUL, South Korea, October 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Seoul was placed seventh in the Global Power City Index (GPCI) among 35 world cities. The GPCI, the representative index that measures international power of major cities, has been conducted by the Mori Memorial Foundation since 2008.

According to the Foundation, 35 of the world's major cities are selected and evaluated based on six functions, including Economy, Research & Development (R&D), Cultural Interaction, Livability, Ecology and Natural Environment, and Accessibility and four global actors who are leading the urban activities in their cities, which are managers, researchers, artists, and visitors, and one local actor (residents).

Seoul proved itself as a draw for researchers, maintaining its fifth position in the R&D function for the second year in a row. Notably, Seoul's ranking in the Cultural Interaction function to 14th from 17th greatly contributed to the city's rise in comprehensive ranking. Seoul also moved up in position in other functions including Livability to 24th from 26th, Environment to 16th from 17th, and Accessibility to 8th from 10th.

Acknowledging the potential of R&D for new growth, Seoul has put more efforts into the establishment of international research networks, attracting overseas research institutes to the city.

Fraunhofer Research Institute of Germany and Bell Lab of the United States opened in Seoul in 2009, and RSS of Russia opened in 2011. With the internationally recognized overseas research institutes coming to South Korea, Seoul has laid the foundation to induce advanced R&D technologies in universities and research institutes. In addition, Seoul signed agreements with Solvay, a Belgian chemical company, and Toray, the world's leading carbon composite material manufacturer, to open their R&D centers in the city.

The City has also carried out various projects to support cultural and artistic activities, facilitate art markets, and foster Seoul's unique cultural brands to diversify the city's cultural assets and raise its attractiveness.

Furthermore, Seoul has been making aggressive efforts to realize a level of air quality in the city by strengthening controls on fine dust particles and taking measures to lower emissions of diesel cars.

Seoul will continue to develop and implement balanced policies aimed at achieving enhanced quality of life and international competitiveness, improving citizens' health, welfare and living environment, and creating new growth engines.

Contacts:

Seoul Metropolitan Government, South Korea
Tel: +82-2-727-0024 / +82-2-3707-8768 (In Korean only)
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