Cisco (News - Alert) has teamed up with New Songdo International City Development LLC (NSIC) to reach new milestones in the development of Songdo International Business District, a 1,500-acre new city on the coast of Incheon, South Korea.

Songdo IBD is being developed by NSIC, a joint-venture between American developer Gale International and Korean construction firm POSCO E&C, under the governance of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority.

As part of the first agreement, Cisco plans to invest in U.Life Solutions, together with Songdo. This step will back Cisco’s vision to form smart connected communities, along with Gale International's experience as a world-leading smart-city developer, together with Posco E&C's experience as a general contractor in large-scale construction projects, and LG CNS's reputation as a leading IT systems integrator in Korea.

Wim Elfrink, executive vice president of Emerging Solutions and chief globalization officer at Cisco said, “Our further collaboration with Gale International on Songdo IBD is our next milestone in ensuring that technology becomes a key enabler in creating economically, socially and environmentally sustainable cities. This brings us a step closer to our vision to create a new industry based on smart regulation, new ecosystems, public-private partnerships and 21st-century smart connected cities. I am sure Songdo IBD will soon be set as a leading example of a technologically led smart future city.”

Cisco has agreed to allow NSIC integrate its products and technologies into new construction projects in Songdo IBD. This will allow Cisco to establish a Global Showcase for Smart+Connected Communities that will ultimately be located in the Northeast Asia Trade Tower. The center will be a dynamic showcase for technologies and applications for smart cities built on the experience of Songdo IBD.

Stanley C. Gale, chairman of NSIC said, “The implementation of Cisco TelePresence and related technologies will transform the lives of the citizens of Songdo IBD. Every apartment will feature this window to the world, accessing friends, family and citizen services directly, live and in person.”

Gale said that Songdo IBD will be the ultimate smart connected community, offering lifestyle enabling innovations for residents and businesses and they look forward to collaborating with Cisco to use technology to build and transform environmentally responsible and economically viable communities.

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