Gyeonggi-do to Establish Global Medical and Bio Innovation District at Seoul National University Siheung Campus

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province is establishing a global medical and bio innovation district at Seoul National University Siheung Campus.

On the 1st, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon signed a "Business Agreement for the Establishment and Industrial Promotion of the Western Gyeonggi Global Medical-Bio Innovation District (Cluster)" at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office with Siheung Mayor Im Byung-taek and Seoul National University President Oh Se-jung, containing these details.

According to the agreement, the three institutions will cooperate in ▲establishing a technology-based medical and bio strategic hub centered in western Gyeonggi ▲attracting the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 'Global Bio Workforce Training Campus' to Seoul National University Siheung Campus ▲promoting projects to attract domestic and international medical and bio companies and foster innovative startup companies.

Taking this agreement as an opportunity, the province will create a global bio hub in western Gyeonggi that links industry, academia, research, hospitals, and government.

Currently, the province boasts the largest number of medical and bio-related companies and bioindustry production scale nationwide by establishing advanced bio districts (clusters) such as ▲biomedical connecting Paju, Goyang, and Gimpo ▲digital biohealth connecting Seongnam (Pangyo) and Suwon (Gwanggyo) ▲and Hwaseong (Hyangnam) biopharmaceuticals.

Siheung City possesses a metropolitan transportation network including Incheon Airport, Incheon Port, and Gwangmyeong KTX, as well as the Baegot District Free Economic Zone and abundant developable land.

Governor Kim Dong-yeon emphasized, "Gyeonggi Province considers bio, along with semiconductors and future cars, as one of the three core strategic industries. In the bio industry, Gyeonggi accounts for 42% of national production and 33% of companies, showing great potential. We will build a tentative K-Bio Valley connecting Songdo, Siheung, Gimpo, Paju, Goyang, Suwon, Seongnam, and Hwaseong, and by collaborating with Gyeonggi Province, Seoul National University, and Siheung City, we will create good opportunities."

Seoul National University President Oh Se-jung pledged, "As the medical and bio fields are emerging as core industries determining national competitiveness due to COVID-19 and accelerating aging, we will strive to enhance Korea's bioindustry capabilities and contribute to regional development by utilizing Seoul National University's human and material resources."

Meanwhile, in February, the World Health Organization (WHO) solely selected Korea as the 'Global Bio Workforce Training Hub' for vaccine self-sufficiency in low- and middle-income countries. Accordingly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is promoting the 'Global Bio Workforce Training Campus' project responsible for education and training in vaccine and bio-pharmaceutical production processes.

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