Muan-gun Council Calls for Inclusion of Jeonnam Tonghap Guknip Daehakgyo as a Regional Flagship University

Statement Calling for Inclusion in the "Creating 10 Seoul National Universities" Policy

Muan County Council urged that Jeonnam Integrated National University be included in efforts to develop regional flagship national universities. Photo by Muan County.

The Muan-gun Council in South Jeolla Province has officially called on the government to include Jeonnam Tonghap Guknip Daehakgyo in its policy to foster regional flagship national universities.

On the 11th, the council issued a statement titled "Statement Urging the Inclusion of Jeonnam Tonghap Guknip Daehakgyo in the Policy to Foster Regional Flagship National Universities" at a plenary session, declaring that Jeonnam Tonghap Guknip Daehakgyo must be included in the regional flagship national university development policy, which is commonly referred to as the "Creating 10 Seoul National Universities" initiative.

The government is pursuing a plan to foster regional universities by strengthening artificial intelligence (AI) education and research capacity at nine flagship national universities across the country and by dispersing education resources, which are concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, to regions nationwide.

However, the county council pointed out that the current flagship national university system does not adequately reflect a unified flagship university structure at the South Jeolla provincial level. It criticized the situation by saying that, although the government emphasizes the fostering of regional universities, there is in effect no flagship national university in South Jeolla Province, adding, "South Jeolla is being marginalized from the policy design stage."

The council expressed concern, stating, "At a time when regional universities are facing an existential crisis due to population decline and concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area, regions that are not included as flagship national universities will inevitably see youth outflow and shortages of industrial manpower become even more severe."

It went on to say, "Jeonnam Tonghap Guknip Daehakgyo is a strategic alternative that seeks to consolidate the higher education capacity of the eastern and western parts of South Jeolla Province by integrating Mokpo National University and Sunchon National University," emphasizing its necessity from the perspective of balanced regional development.

The statement released that day included the following: the inclusion of Jeonnam Tonghap Guknip Daehakgyo in the policy to foster regional flagship national universities; the revision of relevant special laws and establishment of a legal basis for financial support to secure flagship national university status; and support for building a system for talent cultivation, research, and industry-academia cooperation linked to regional strategic industries.

Kim Bongseong, Chair of the Administration, Culture and Welfare Committee of the Muan-gun Council, said, "Under the currently discussed 'Creating 10 Seoul National Universities' policy, young people in South Jeolla still have to leave for flagship national universities in the Seoul metropolitan area or other regions," adding, "South Jeolla also needs a unified flagship national university with real competitiveness, not just in name only."

Meanwhile, the council plans to continue strengthening cooperation with the local community and related institutions and to carry out ongoing response activities to secure institutional status for Jeonnam Tonghap Guknip Daehakgyo.

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