Seoul night economy and AI-bio growth push

Following the July 2026 Youth Policy Expo, Mayor Oh Se-hoon expanded the night-economy component of the Youth-Growth Special City initiative. A four-year strategy seeks to establish up to 25 "Night-Economy Coexistence Zones," overseen by a dedicated Night-Economy Chief and a cross-departmental task force. Sites such as the "Seoul Dalbit Night Market" will receive subsidies of up to 2 billion won, extended operating hours, and enhanced late-night transport, aiming to attract 20 million foreign tourists, boost after-hours consumption, and create high-value jobs for young residents.

At the Seoul Tech Summit, Oh introduced a complementary AI-bio convergence agenda. About 42 billion won will fund 195 R&D projects that guide companies from development through commercialization to global expansion, forming a "growth ladder" within the broader "G3 Seoul Plan" to position Seoul among the world’s top three innovative cities.

In August 2026, the Seoul Metropolitan Government proposed a 2.8 trillion KRW supplementary budget to further these objectives. The budget includes 810 billion KRW for discretionary spending on livelihood, growth, and safety. Key additions include the introduction of "Moonlight Gift Certificates" to support the nighttime economy and a program providing generative AI usage vouchers to 500,000 residents aged 19-29. The proposal also allocates funds for youth housing, medical subsidies for pregnant women, flood prevention, and subway upgrades, and now faces deliberation by a Seoul Metropolitan Council where the opposition holds a majority.