Gyeongnam Provincial Council: "Relocation of Defense Technology Promotion Institute Department is Unthinkable"

Members of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council have voiced opposition to the planned relocation of a specific department of the Defense Technology Promotion Institute, which is known to be under review for transfer to Daejeon from Jinju Innovation City.

On the 25th, Chairman Kim Jin-bu and other council members issued a statement in front of the provincial council entrance, urging the withdrawal of the department relocation review by the Defense Technology Promotion Institute.

Members of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council are urging the withdrawal of the review to relocate a specific department of the Defense Technology Promotion Research Institute in Jinju Innovation City to Daejeon.
[Photo by Lee Seryeong]

The council members stated, “Jinju Innovation City was established as a national land policy initiative aimed at curbing overpopulation in the metropolitan area by relocating public institutions concentrated there to local regions, promoting regional innovation, and achieving balanced national development.”

“The Defense Technology Promotion Institute was established in January 2021 as an affiliated institution in Gyeongnam, the largest hub of the defense industry in Korea, to strengthen research functions in the defense sector,” they said. “However, the institute relocated a key department to Daejeon in May 2022 without prior consultation, and it has recently been revealed that they are considering additional relocations.”

“This not only contradicts the fundamental purpose of balanced national development and the construction of innovation cities but also represents a clear manipulative relocation exploiting loopholes in innovation city-related laws,” they argued. “It undermines Gyeongnam’s defense and military industry policies.”

“The relocation of the Defense Technology Promotion Institute’s department also goes against the current government’s policy to develop Gyeongnam as a hub for K-defense industry,” they added.

Chairman Kim Jin-bu of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council is issuing a statement urging the withdrawal of the relocation of a specific department of the Defense Technology Promotion Research Institute.
[Photo by Lee Se-ryeong]

The council members raised their voices, saying, “With the Aerospace Administration about to open in Gyeongnam, it is unreasonable to take away key personnel to other regions when the related organizations should be expanding.”

They also shouted, “The department relocation of the Defense Technology Promotion Institute contradicts the government’s policy to foster Gyeongnam as a base for the K-defense industry. We demand an immediate halt to the review of the department relocation.”

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