Dtonic’s Senior Advisor Featured in Digital Times on the Future of Urban AI
Dtonic was recently featured in Digital Times (link in Korean), highlighting the journey of Dtonic’s Senior Advisor Kwang-Sik Kim and his role in shaping the company’s long-term vision for AI-driven cities.
The article covers Kim’s transition from a lifetime in urban planning to his current role at Dtonic, where he contributes to integrating urban expertise with AI-driven data technologies. It also introduces the concept of “Urban AI,” where cities move beyond traditional planning toward data-based, autonomous decision-making.
See English translation of the article below
[DT Person of the Day] Urban Engineering Veteran Starts a New Chapter at an AI Startup… “I Want to Work as Long as My Strength Allows”
Dtonic CEO Yong Joo Jun (left) and Senior Advisor Kwang-Sik Kim in discussion. Courtesy of Dtonic.
By Dong-Hyun Paeng
Published: January 25, 2026, 18:12
Updated: January 25, 2026, 18:47
He has contributed over 100 academic papers both domestically and internationally, including more than 40 indexed in the Science Citation Index (SCI) and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI).
“An ‘Urban AI’ era will arrive… I will be a single brick helping Dtonic sustain its growth.”
Kwang-Sik Kim, Senior Advisor at Dtonic
In the film The Intern, 70-year-old retiree Ben Whittaker (played by Robert De Niro) joins a startup founded by 30-year-old Jules Ostin (played by Anne Hathaway) as a senior intern. In the fast-growing young company, little is initially expected of Ben, but gradually he becomes another pillar that the CEO Jules and other members come to rely on.
The elderly scholar met on the 25th at Dtonic’s office in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, is likewise writing the second chapter of his life. Born in 1948 and nearing eighty, he is a leading figure in the field of urban engineering, yet his gestures show humility and his expression reflects curiosity. “I am studying artificial intelligence and data diligently,” he said, adding that he hopes to continue working “as long as my strength allows, while proving my own value.”
Kim (77), Senior Advisor at Dtonic, introduces himself as “a person who has spent a lifetime researching urban administration and transportation administration.”
Since 1984, he has taught at Sungkyunkwan University, serving as Honorary Professor at the Graduate School of State Affairs, Dean of the College of Social Sciences, and Head of the Graduate School of Public Administration. He participated in the first phase of government-led new town development and was responsible for the master plan of the second-phase Paju Unjeong New Town. He is also a key figure behind the establishment of the Korean Society of Transportation and the Korea Urban Real Estate Society (formerly the Urban Policy Society).
Kim began looking toward the world early on. A turning point came when he went to Cardiff University in the UK as a visiting professor in 1988. “When I searched for papers, there were none with Korea or Seoul in the title,” he said. “To make our country known globally and expand our influence, I decided that I should publish papers in English.” He added that he actively engaged in joint research, leaving over 100 papers domestically and internationally, including more than 40 indexed in SCI and SSCI.
Even after being recognized for his global research capabilities and selected as one of Sungkyunkwan University’s first fellowship professors, his passion did not fade. After retirement, he could not even enjoy the three-month break he had for the first time. Eventually, he secured a full-time professorship at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and led the Center for Innovative Planning and Development (CIPD), working from 2012 to 2015 to promote Korea’s technology and expertise across Southeast Asia.
It was during this time that he formed a full-fledged connection with Dtonic, which was then still an in-house venture of Hyundai Motor Company called “1-Mile.” Kim said, “At that time, CEO Yong Joo Jun of Dtonic had a need to combine urban engineering knowledge with data technology, which led me to join.” He added that while researching areas such as evacuation measures for civilians during disasters and terrorist situations, and urban systems to improve mobility for transportation-vulnerable groups, he became interested in learning more about artificial intelligence, data, and information technology.
Dtonic, which spun off from Hyundai Motor Company in 2014, positions itself as a company specializing in AI transformation (AX) platforms based on spatio-temporal big data. It developed “Geo-Hiker,” an AI-based core technology that processes big data faster and more efficiently, and provides solutions across various fields including smart cities, smart factories, and autonomous driving. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this technology was applied to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Epidemiological Investigation Support System (EISS), reducing analysis time from 24 hours to 10 minutes.
Currently, Kim plays a role in inspiring and motivating the organization’s members. He has also applied the “4Ps” (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) theory of Philip Kotler, a leading figure in modern marketing, to Dtonic, helping to guide key decision-making. “I emphasized the technology called Geo-Hiker, the market competitiveness that can leverage it, the positioning to attract talent and grow based on it, and proactive cooperation with and engagement in the public sector,” he explained, adding that these efforts led to outcomes such as relocation to Bundang, receiving a Presidential Commendation, and being awarded the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit.
A point reminiscent of The Intern is that Kim actively practices the behavioral economics theory of “nudge,” proposed by Richard Thaler, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2017. He said, “I share quotes and sayings we need every week with our members, and I also personally look for and inform them about government projects and promising opportunities.” He added, “Talking about the past or making forced recommendations does not work with younger generations. I try to play a role in designing choices so that employees can accept things voluntarily.”
As an expert in urban engineering, Kim believes that beyond smart cities, the era of “Urban AI” will soon arrive.
“Until now, city planning and administration have been carried out by human hands, but in the future, AI will solve urban problems on its own based on data,” he said. He also pointed out that demand-responsive transport (DRT), which helps improve mobility for the elderly in an aging society, should be noted alongside autonomous driving.
Kim hopes to open this future together with Dtonic’s young talent. “The data processing and management technologies that Dtonic possesses will become increasingly valued as the foundation of the AI era,” he said, adding that he hopes the company will grow into one that can be compared with Palantir.
Dtonic is currently preparing for an initial public offering (IPO). Quoting a saying left by Emperor Taizong of Tang—“It is easier to build a nation than to sustain it”—Kim added, “Until Dtonic rises as a unicorn, I will be a single brick helping to sustain it, as long as my health and abilities allow.”
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Originally published in Digital Times.