Daegu Metropolitan City participated in the Consumer Electronics Show to support 40 companies in their expansion into the global market.

This year’s CES is being held in Las Vegas from Tuesday through Friday.

The Daegu Metropolitan City government is the only Korean local government to have prepared a common facility at the show this year for 40 promising small and medium companies as well as startups to tap into the world market.

CES, which celebrates its 51st anniversary this year, goes beyond exhibitions that show simple consumer electronics and IT products. The event is evolving into a showcase of technologies such as artificial intelligence, robots, smart cities and the latest trends of the “fourth industrial revolution.” 

Since 2013, Daegu has participated in CES for six consecutive years.

In response to the fourth industrial revolution, Daegu has been fostering five industries: water, medical, future cars, the internet of things and energy.

These areas are expected to serve as future growth engines for the city, which has five key long-term goals. It is seeking to foster a global water industry; create a national hub for the high-tech medical industry; become a lead city for autonomous vehicles based on electric vehicles; realize a smart city based on IoT; and build a global city with self-sufficient clean energy.

“Only companies that quickly take on challenges can grasp opportunities in the fourth industrial revolution,” said Kim Yeon-chang, Daegu’s deputy mayor of economy.

“Daegu City will provide generous support, in the hope that the CES will be an opportunity for participating local companies to dream bigger and actively advance overseas.”

Meanwhile, Daegu City will carry out a program to help a team of local youths learn new technology, start new businesses and advance overseas. The team consists of 30 youths, including university students, who will receive training on core technologies of the fourth industrial revolution.

They will also tour CES and Silicon Valley, and have the opportunity to present their business models to investors.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)