A policy forum discussing an agricultural AX (AI Transformation) strategy that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics was held at the National Assembly, and participants called for developing Jeonbuk as an agro-life innovation hub.

Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Institute of Agricultural Life Sciences, Institute for Agricultural Machinery & ICT Convergence, and the Jeonbuk Future Industry R&D Forum held a policy forum on the 13th at Meeting Room No. 2 in the National Assembly Members' Office Building titled "Implementation Strategy for Jeonbuk Agro-Capital Based on Agricultural AX and Physical AI." The forum was sponsored by Minister of Unification Jeong Dong‑young and National Assembly member Lee Won‑taek.

In his congratulatory remarks, Minister of Unification Jeong Dong‑young said, "Agricultural AX and Physical AI will be the starting point for digital agricultural innovation that goes beyond mere agricultural technology advancement and will lead food security on the Korean Peninsula and future industries centered on Jeonbuk."

Rep. Lee Won‑taek also said, "To address the crises facing agriculture—rural aging, labor shortages, and the climate emergency—AI-based agricultural transformation is an essential survival strategy," adding, "I will work to secure legislative and budgetary support so that Jeonbuk can become a central hub for South Korea's agricultural AX innovation."

The forum presented future strategies for Jeonbuk agriculture and plans to build an agricultural AX ecosystem.

Professor Seo Il‑hwan, Director of the JBNU Institute of Agricultural Life Sciences, presented a "Jeonbuk Agro-Capital Implementation Strategy" proposing a growth model for the agro-life industry that combines smart agriculture and the data industry.

Following this, Professor Jo Yong‑jin, Director of the JBNU Institute for Agricultural Machinery & ICT Convergence, presented "Strategy for Establishing a Jeonbuk Agricultural AX Education, Research, and Demonstration Platform" and proposed measures to build an innovation ecosystem based on agricultural data. Professor Jo proposed a next-generation agricultural model that utilizes Physical AI technologies such as agricultural data analysis, autonomous farm machinery, and agricultural robots, and emphasized the need to build an agricultural AX platform that integrates education, research, and demonstration.

In the subsequent discussion, various opinions were presented on the need to build an agricultural AX ecosystem and to improve related regulations and systems.

Professor Heo Gang‑mu of JBNU, who chaired the session, emphasized, "Under the government's 'Five Poles, Three Specialties' national balanced development strategy, Jeonbuk must establish an agro-life innovation ecosystem involving academia and industry in order to advance as a hub for the agro-life industry," and added, "Based on the Rural Development Administration's large-scale agricultural R&D budget, it is necessary to strengthen joint research frameworks among Jeonbuk universities and research institutes."

Bae Seong‑hun, Group Leader at the LX Spatial Information Research Institute, said, "It is necessary to conduct large-scale economically viable agricultural research and to build data-driven agricultural infrastructure centered on Saemangeum and the Jeonbuk region," and noted, "Legal and institutional reforms, such as amendments to special laws and regulatory sandboxes, must be pursued to enable field deployment of agricultural AX and Physical AI technologies."

Attendees noted that Jeonbuk, with top-tier agro-life research infrastructure such as the Rural Development Administration and the National Food Cluster, can serve as a central hub for South Korea's agricultural AI innovation.

In particular, Jeonbuk is assessed as having high potential as a demonstration hub for agricultural AX because it concentrates agro-life research and industrial infrastructure such as the Rural Development Administration, Saemangeum, and the National Food Cluster.

A JBNU official stated, "This policy forum will be an important opportunity to expand the future agricultural strategy based on agricultural AX and Physical AI to the national agenda," and added, "We will strive to establish a South Korean agricultural innovation ecosystem centered on Jeonbuk so that it can advance as a global center for the agro-life industry."