Page 90 - U4SSC Case study Daegu, Korea (Republic of), February 2022

• The focus that Daegu has put on implementing new and emerging technologies to solve city
problems and to make the lives of its inhabitants better is another best practice that other
aspiring smart sustainable cities should emulate. Another factor which can be considered by
aspiring smart sustainable cities is determining the success of technology-based pilot projects
though the measurement of defined benefits to inhabitants.

• While Daegu understands that technology needs to be a supportive factor in becoming smarter
and more sustainable, the U4SSC KPI analysis does show that Daegu has world-leading ICT
infrastructure.
• The strides made by Daegu in engaging with its inhabitants through the smart sustainable city
programme set the table to make the response to the COVID-19 pandemic more effective. The
trust and engagement built through the development of the city strategy and planning process,
and programmes like the Urban Problem Discovery Team, are important factors for ensuring
public health. Other cities are invited to consider similar mechanisms to facilitate inhabitant
engagement and build trust prior to the onset of emergencies.
• The lessons learned by Daegu on its journey to becoming smarter and more sustainable should
be shared with other cities within the Republic of Korea, within the region and globally. Daegu
should consider partnering with other cities, in particular cities in lesser-developed regions, to
share positive and negative experiences of this journey and best practices.
• With the knowledge gained in the last few years in the realm of smart sustainable cities, Daegu
is encouraged to engage further with ITU and the U4SSC initiative to broaden the knowledge
base related to smart sustainable cities and provide real-world feedback on the feasibility of
projects in other cities.

• The benchmarking exercise undertaken as part of the U4SSC KPI verification demonstrates
that more work can be done in the KPI categories of transport, buildings and energy. In this
context, a transport system that is less dependent on private vehicles and more focused on
less-carbon-intensive modes should be strived for. Additionally, a better understanding of the
sustainability performance of public buildings, and a reduction in fossil-fuel-based energy
sources and energy use are key areas on which to focus in the future to enhance environmental
sustainability, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

• The reporting of the U4SSC KPIs should continue at regular intervals, or in real time, to determine
the trends in performance and the improvement in KPI benchmarks. The U4SSC KPIs can
provide a method to determine and visualize the impact of Daegu’s initiatives on the city and
its inhabitants.

• Following the first-year of the U4SSC KPI implementation in Daegu, the city has achieved the
milestone of becoming the first city in the Republic of Korea to utilize the existing U4SSC KPI
framework. In addition to the findings provided by the city, it will further serve as the beacon
of successful smart sustainable city endeavours for other cities in the region by engaging them
and to guide them on equally triumphant smart city ventures.

72 U4SSC Case study | Daegu, Korea (Republic of) | February 2022