Pohang City Opens 'Hwandonghae Regional Innovation Center 1st Campus', a Community-Based Coexistence Space

Six Universities in Pohang and Gyeongju, Including Handong University, Sign Win-Win Cooperation Agreement

Mayor Lee: "Universities and Local Community Will Overcome Crisis and Take a Leap Forward"

Pohang City announced that Handong University held an opening ceremony on the 16th for the ‘Hwandonghae Regional Innovation Center 1st Campus Parangtteul,’ a community-based co-prosperity space designed to drive mutual growth between the local community and the university.

Opening Ceremony of the East Sea Regional Innovation Institute 1st Campus Parangtteul.

The opening ceremony was attended by Pohang Mayor Lee Kangdeok, Pohang City Council Chairman Kim Ilman, local city council members, university presidents from the region, students, and local residents, who celebrated the launch of the Hwandonghae Regional Innovation Center.

The name ‘Parangtteul’ signifies a space where limitless imagination can unfold freely against the backdrop of the East Sea and blue sky. The Hwandonghae Regional Innovation Center is designed as a place where students can take the lead in freely solving challenges faced by Pohang City and local universities, and where local residents can visit at any time to share their opinions openly.

The 1st Campus, located in Jangryang-dong, is composed of a complex cultural space featuring: ▲a lounge area accessible to both local residents and students ▲small group meeting rooms available for rent ▲a multipurpose classroom. It plans to actively accommodate local needs by offering effective programs and events that contribute to culture, arts, economy, and education.

At the event, Pohang City signed a memorandum of understanding with Handong University, POSTECH, Pohang University, Sunlin University, Uiduk University, and Sinkyungju University for ‘sustainable prosperity through the co-prosperity of the region and universities,’ pledging cooperation for solving community issues and mutual growth between the region and universities.

Opening as a community-based co-prosperity space, the Hwandonghae Regional Innovation Center plans to launch its ‘2nd Campus’ in the southern district this October, starting with the ‘1st Campus.’

Mayor Lee Kangdeok said, “I congratulate the opening of the Hwandonghae Regional Innovation Center 1st Campus, which will play a crucial role as a hub for overcoming the shared crises faced by the region and universities and leading Pohang’s new leap forward. We will provide unwavering support by joining forces with local universities, industries, and institutions to ensure that Handong University is selected as a Glocal University this year.”

Handong University President Choi Doseong stated, “With this opening, we will focus on communicating with local residents, solving community issues, and strengthening cultural, educational, and global competencies through customized education. We will strive to develop Handong University into a specialized university that advances in connection with the local community and industry, leading regional innovation.”

Handong University, which opened the ‘Hwandonghae Regional Innovation Center’ set to become a new hub for regional development, is awaiting its official designation as part of the Glocal University 30 this year.

The Glocal University 30 is a government initiative that selects globally competitive universities capable of breaking down internal and external barriers and leading mutual growth between the region and universities based on partnerships with local communities and industries, providing 100 billion KRW in government funding over the next five years.

Handong University, which received preliminary designation in April, plans to submit its implementation plan for official designation to the Ministry of Education on the 26th of this month, with the final evaluation and selection scheduled between August and September.

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