Pocheon City Launches Bid to Attract Gyeonggi Province Defense Venture Center

Establishing a Civil-Military-Academic-Research Collaboration Centered on Advanced AI Integrated Manned-Unmanned Systems
Building Infrastructure for Testing, Certification, and Research Linked to the Nation’s Largest Test Bed

Pocheon City in Gyeonggi Province, led by Mayor Baek Younghyeon, has ambitiously entered the competition to host the Defense Venture Center, which is being established by Gyeonggi Province.

Pocheon City Militech Co-hosted Seminar. Provided by Pocheon City

Following the establishment of the Drone Operations Command within its jurisdiction in 2023, Pocheon City launched a project to create a hub for cutting-edge civilian-military drone defense industries. Based on a foundation of collaboration among the public and private sectors, military, academia, and research institutions, the city has been pursuing a variety of initiatives.

With the recent war in Ukraine demonstrating a shift in modern warfare toward unmanned systems based on AI, including drones, the importance of real-world validation for securing data and connecting civilian innovation capabilities to defense needs has been highlighted as a critical factor.

In response, Pocheon City plans to leverage the nation’s largest military training grounds and a nearly 660,000-square-meter special drone liberalization zone to establish a national-level test bed for manned-unmanned integrated systems. The city aims to actively support companies in technology validation, thereby playing a pivotal role in advancing the AI-based national defense industry.

Starting with a joint seminar on drone force development strategies with the Drone Operations Command in November 2023, the city has continued its efforts this year by co-hosting a seminar on the development of drone and counter-drone systems with the Army Information and Communications School. It also signed an MOU with the Army Air Defense School, which is at the forefront of counter-drone systems, aligning with current military policies and directions.

In 2024, the city hosted the Minister of National Defense’s Dronebot Challenge at the Seungjin Science Training Center, confirming the feasibility of using domestic military training grounds for validation. In September of the same year, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s DAPAGO (on-site business meeting) for the drone industry was held at the Pocheon City Business Center. This event was particularly significant as it was the first of its kind to be held in Gyeonggi Province.

Pocheon City has not only collaborated with the military but also signed MOUs with five key industry associations, including the Korea Counter-Drone Industry Association. In July, the city co-hosted a seminar on securing tactical drone superiority with the Militech Association, attended by over 300 stakeholders from the military, academia, and industry. Pocheon City also plans to participate as an official supporting organization at the Korea Counter-Drone Expo in November, continuing its ongoing collaboration.

The city is working to establish a differentiated dual-use civilian-military physical AI test and evaluation center focused on operational capability, in conjunction with the nation’s largest test bed. Additional initiatives include attracting an advanced AR/VR-based drone education and training center, an MRO center, and R&D research institutes, as well as promoting the development of an advanced industrial complex. Through these efforts, Pocheon City is creating a hub where validation, research, R&D, and education can all take place, already achieving various results.

In April, the city attracted the Northern Gyeonggi Research Center for Intelligent Unmanned Systems from Seoul National University, and in July, it brought in research institutes from four companies, including the Fine VT Electronic Warfare and Security Research Institute. In November, an additional research institute from a defense company is scheduled to be established in Pocheon.

Furthermore, Daejin University, located in Pocheon, was selected for Gyeonggi Province’s RISE project (drone talent development). The city has also built a foundation for research and talent development through agreements with eight universities in the Seoul metropolitan area, including Seoul National University and Kwangwoon University. In October, Pocheon will co-host the World Drone Festival with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport along the Hantan River, featuring Korea’s largest drone light show with 6,000 drones, promoting Pocheon and Korean culture and illuminating the night sky of the UNESCO Global Geopark.

In addition, a major domestic defense company is preparing to establish an MRO center in Pocheon, raising expectations for the city to become a future hub for defense MRO operations.

A Pocheon City official stated that at a time when a transition to new growth industries is needed in northern Gyeonggi Province, the city has promoted itself over the past two years at various civilian-military-academia-research expos and seminars, including Drone Show Korea. The official emphasized that attracting the Gyeonggi Province Defense Venture Center is key to supporting defense industry R&D, and that local governments with a high level of understanding of the defense industry will achieve operational results in the future. The official concluded that Pocheon City will take the lead in the growth of the defense industry in northern Gyeonggi Province.

Pocheon City plans to officially launch its task force for attracting the Gyeonggi Province Defense Venture Center on the 18th, kicking off the full-scale competition to host the center.