Building the Future of Universities through 'AI Convergence' Innovation... Interview with Dongmyeong University President

President Jeong Hongseop, Vice President Shin Dongseok, Director Kim Gwanhyeong Q&A
Expansion of University Smart Farm Technology Research Institute, Plan to Develop Nationwide AI Attractions
Field Exploration Events Including Smart Farms, Drones, M

Smart farm officials on the campus of Dongmyung University are showcasing mushrooms cultivated using AI application technology.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] There is a ‘strong’ university even without being in Seoul. Even if it is not national or a large-scale university, there is a university full of substance.

A university that excels in employment and nurtures future-oriented talents who foresee the times is counted among such strong universities.

Busan Dongmyung University is receiving such a description. It has emerged as a prestigious university for employment among local private universities and is reading the trends of the era through its AI Convergence Innovation strategy.

Dongmyung University developed the Smart Farm AI mushroom and has started commercial sales, and it was also selected as a target for AI Convergence Innovation exploration, leading the ‘AI Convergence Innovation’ in the university community.

This university recorded the highest employment rate (71.8%) among medium-large general universities in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam region, as announced by the Ministry of Education earlier this year.

We met with the three leaders steering the university: President Jeong Hong-seop, Vice President Shin Dong-seok, and Professor Kim Gwan-hyung (Director of the AI Convergence Smart Farm Technology Research Institute) for a Q&A.

President Jeong Hongseop of Dongmyung University.

- What are the characteristics of the Dongmyung Amigo variety?

▲ It is characterized by a deep aroma and chewy texture. Amigo is a self-developed brand with meanings such as mother’s mushroom, ‘雅味?’ (best taste mushroom), and AMIGO as a friend for returning to farming.

- What is the total budget invested in the facilities related to Dongmyung Amigo?

▲ About 350 million KRW in total, including 100 million KRW from national funds (LINC+ project funds), and 250 million KRW from KCTS corporate matching investment (Busan Technopark distribution support). The investment for one smart farm container facility ranged from 50 to 60 million KRW depending on the equipment.

- How has the technical cooperation been so far?

▲ To research optimal environments and cultivation technologies for automatic growth of low-temperature mushrooms (Songhwago) regardless of place and time, we have cooperated with companies such as KCTS Co., Ltd. (CEO Cha Ji-wook) in Gangseo-gu, Busan. We went through a process of building a data-based controlled smart farm that shortens the growth period, rapidly discharges carbon dioxide, and quickly introduces fresh air to control airflow.

Following benchmarking of Japanese smart farm facilities in 2012, we also succeeded in commercializing leafy vegetables such as lettuce grown by smart farm methods in the ‘Plant Factory’ established on the rooftop of Dongmyung Hall on campus to accumulate technology.

- What about the production cycle, production volume, and transportation process?

▲ The ‘substrate’ that replaces the role of oak, which contains nutrients and spawn, is loaded, and mushroom pins (mushroom sprouts) start to appear within about 7 to 10 days, with full-scale harvesting beginning after 21 to 28 days.

The substrate can be used for about three cycles. Usually, one cycle is considered about a month, with harvesting for about 10 to 14 days followed by a rest period of about 7 days.

The average production volume per cycle per container equipped with a smart system is about 300 kg. Packaging is done in 1 kg icebox containers with ice packs added; individual buyers will receive shipments by courier, and home shopping orders will be transported by refrigerated trucks.

- What are the future plans?

▲ In October, we plan to additionally build research and development offices and an education experience center on the upper floor of the current cultivation building. This aims at establishing a social economy business model, fostering the 6th industry related to agriculture, economic independence of cooperatives through high value-added product production, and creating jobs for local youth and middle-aged people.

- What direction does Dongmyung Amigo aim for?

▲ By cultivating and selling AI mushrooms on campus, we aim to create additional jobs and prepare a new model of urban agriculture in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Dongmyung University was the only institution in the Busan area selected for the nationwide public contest science culture activity support project by the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity through the ‘AI Convergence Innovation Live Field Invitation Exploration’.

By the end of this year, 500 care youth will be invited first to experience Dongmyung Amigo Smart Farm (urban agriculture), drones, makerspaces, and practical astronomy fields to open their dreams.

- What is the outbound living lab activity currently underway at Dongmyung University?

▲ About 150 students from departments such as Industrial Design, Interior Architecture, Business Administration, Tourism Management, Mechatronics Engineering, Nursing, Social Welfare, Counseling Psychology, Sports Rehabilitation, Speech Therapy and Audiology, Military Science, and Media Communication have formed 25 living lab teams utilizing their departmental characteristics and have been participating in solving problems outside the campus from early June until the end of the year.

This is a convergence activity where students go beyond the campus fence to explore and directly solve problems in the local real social field.

- Could you introduce some notable living lab teams?

▲ Teams focusing on education about the importance of hand hygiene to prevent infectious diseases (Nursing), infection prevention in indoor fitness centers (Sports Rehabilitation), and safety education for shared electric scooters (Social Welfare) have attracted attention during the prolonged COVID-19 period.

Activities for youth and children include creating a new concept playground using kindergarten rooftops, evaluating speech errors in daycare children and preparing teacher guidance plans, and developing dyslexia guidebooks for welfare centers and local children’s centers.

For seniors, activities such as replacing dormitory bedding and cleaning services using local seniors, volunteering for elderly hearing at senior welfare centers, and free language-cognitive evaluations and education for seniors at senior centers are actively underway.

The Military Science department is busy preserving and utilizing combat heritage sites in the Busan area and preparing activity plans to assist socially vulnerable and marginalized youth.

- What is the background and future outlook of Dongmyung University’s AI innovation?

▲ Dongmyung University has been practicing innovation since early 2019 with the themes ‘Break&Awake (깸)’ and ‘OPCS’ (Open Practical Convergence Sharing).

It was the first university in the Busan area to establish an AI bachelor’s organization, the ‘AI Convergence College,’ in the undergraduate program starting in 2021, and from 2022, it plans to expand AI convergence majors to all colleges.

Following its past reputation as a university strong in IT, it is now establishing itself as a university strong in AI.

- Why is Dongmyung University renowned for employment?

▲ Dongmyung University ranked first (71.8%) among medium-large general universities (with over 1,000 graduates) in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam region in the Ministry of Education’s information disclosure employment rate (as of December 31, 2018) announced on January 10, 2020.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.