Mayor Lee Kang-deok Meets Minister of SMEs and Startups: "Pohang is the Optimal Site for K-Bio Lab Hub"

Strong Recommendation for 'K-Bio Lab Hub' Selection at Meeting with Minister Kwon Chil-seung

Mayor Lee Gang-deok of Pohang actively explaining local issues during a meeting with Minister Kwon Chil-seung of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups on the 14th.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-ho] Pohang City, Gyeongbuk announced on the 15th that Mayor Lee Kang-deok actively requested Minister Kwon Chil-seung of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups on the 14th to select Pohang for the K-Bio Lab Hub construction project.

The meeting was arranged to introduce Pohang City's bio-industry foundation and strongly advocate for attracting the K-Bio Lab Hub, following the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' announcement of the K-Bio Lab Hub construction plan and the call for candidate sites announced on the 12th.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok emphasized that Pohang already has sufficient infrastructure, including facilities and equipment necessary for fostering bio ventures and startups and for global expansion.

In Pohang, starting with the Bio Open Innovation Center (BOIC), there are knowledge industry centers and bio venture spaces in POSCO Change-up Ground. Essential infrastructure for bio startups, such as 3rd and 4th generation synchrotron radiation accelerators, cryo-electron microscopes, and germ-free animal facilities, are in place.

He highlighted that excellent talents from POSTECH Biotechnology Research Center and Handong University Life Science Research Institute, the AI Research Institute for AI-based new drug development collaboration, Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, and the upcoming completion of research and development facilities such as the Membrane Protein Research Institute and Green Vaccine Demonstration Support Center this year are also significant assets.

Furthermore, he appealed that the startup ecosystem is steadily growing with over 40 bio ventures and startups currently operating, supported by the technology-based bio venture startup special zones in the Small Giant R&D Special Zone and Pohang Convergence Technology Industrial District, as well as venture funds jointly established by POSCO, POSTECH, and local governments.

He also stressed that Pohang recently secured national funding for the project to establish an animal alternative testing evaluation platform using 3D bio-printing and plans to further develop advanced bio-industry infrastructure, including an integrated support center for structure-based new drug development and infectious disease research infrastructure.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok explained, "Considering various conditions such as balanced development, which is a major national agenda of the government, abundant research environment, and excellent talents, our Pohang City is the optimal location for the K-Bio Lab Hub."

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