North Jeolla's Advanced Industry Ecosystem Remains 'Incomplete'... Growing Calls for Relocation of Public Institutions

Limits of the Radiation Industry: Absence of Clinical Institutions

"Ten Government-funded Science and Technology Institutes" ...Call for KIST Relocation

"Weak Basic Science Foundation" ...Need for Institute for Basic Science

As Hyundai Motor's 9 trillion won investment and the expansion of future industries centered on Saemangeum continue, there is a growing call both inside and outside of North Jeolla Province for the relocation of key public institutions to complete an advanced industrial ecosystem. While research and demonstration infrastructure are being rapidly established, critics point out that the institutions responsible for budgets, policy, and commercialization remain concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, creating a disconnect in the industrial growth chain.

According to North Jeolla Province on May 15, a national demonstration complex for renewable energy is currently being established in Saemangeum, and the region is home to several energy-related research institutes, including the Korea Institute of Energy Research, the Korea Electrical Safety Corporation, and the Korea Institute of Materials Science. However, the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning—which plans energy R&D projects and allocates budgets—is located in the Seoul metropolitan area.

As a result, even when demonstration projects are carried out on-site, policy planning and budget decisions are repeatedly made far from the field, perpetuating a structural disconnect.

In North Jeolla Province, there is an expectation that if the Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning is relocated, it would be possible to establish a system where energy R&D planning, demonstration, and commercialization are all integrated within a single region. In particular, the province anticipates that links with the Saemangeum Hydrogen Specialized National Industrial Complex and the Energy Industry Convergence Complex would significantly boost the attraction of energy-specialized companies.

The radiation industry base established in Jeongeup is facing a similar situation. Currently, Jeongeup hosts the Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, the Toxicology Research Institute, and various radiation-related certification authorities, providing a foundation for basic technology research and non-clinical testing. However, the absence of the Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, which is responsible for clinical trials and treatment, is seen as a major limitation in translating research results into actual industrialization.

The Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences currently operates only its main campus in Seoul and a branch in Busan. There is no public medical institution specializing in radiation in the southwestern region, including North Jeolla Province.

North Jeolla Province believes that attracting the Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences would enable the establishment of a radiation industry cluster covering the full cycle—from research and non-clinical testing to clinical trials and treatment. Furthermore, it is expected to help the region secure a leading position in the radiopharmaceutical market, which is projected to grow to 17 trillion won by 2030. From a healthcare perspective, it is also anticipated to help fill the gap in emergency radiation medical services in the region.

The need to relocate the main campus of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) is also being raised again. Currently, the North Jeolla branch of KIST is operating, and collaborative projects are underway in the fields of bio, secondary batteries, and mobility. However, critics note that with the main campus in Seoul, manpower and equipment operations are split, and the cooperation system is fragmented.

North Jeolla Province is home to 10 government-funded research institutes, the second largest concentration in the country after Daejeon. For this reason, there is analysis that relocating the main KIST campus to North Jeolla could enable it to serve as a central hub for collaboration among regional research institutes.

In particular, while the Hongneung Research Complex in Seoul faces spatial expansion limitations, North Jeolla is regarded as relatively advantageous in terms of research complex scalability and industrial linkage.

The need to expand North Jeolla’s research base in the field of basic science is also being highlighted. While Daejeon has KAIST, Daegu has DGIST, Gwangju has GIST, and Ulsan has UNIST, North Jeolla lacks institutions that specialize in mathematical modeling and computational science. North Jeolla Province sees the weakness of the basic science foundation as a structural limitation, especially as national R&D support for the region now exceeds 1 trillion won annually.

Accordingly, the province expects that if the Institute for Basic Science is established in North Jeolla, it will be possible to secure core technologies in strategic sectors such as physical AI, renewable energy, and bio through regional collaboration. This is expected to serve as an opportunity for the region to grow beyond a simple manufacturing and demonstration-centered industrial zone into a national R&D hub.

An official from North Jeolla Province stated, "While field-oriented research and demonstration infrastructure are being established, the institutions responsible for planning and commercialization are still mostly concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area," adding, "The second phase of public institution relocation is not just about rearranging organizations—it could become a key task that determines the competitiveness of North Jeolla's advanced industries."

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