Kim Nam-il, Deputy Mayor of Pohang City, Proposes National Budget Support for Food Tech Ecosystem Development...

Pohang City is actively promoting the establishment of the ‘Food Tech Square Convergence Support Center’ to create an innovative ecosystem for the food service industry based on food tech, and has been meeting with government officials one after another to request national budget support for the project.

On the 24th, Vice Mayor Kim Nam-il visited the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Budget Office of the Ministry of Economy and Finance to explain the necessity of the food tech project promoted by Pohang City and requested national funding support.

Kim Nam-il, Vice Mayor of Pohang City, advocating for national budget support to establish a food tech ecosystem.

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First, Vice Mayor Kim met with Yang Ju-pil, Food Industry Policy Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and requested that a budget of 2 billion KRW for infrastructure establishment be reflected in the government budget to expedite the promotion of the ‘Food Tech Square Convergence Support Center’ (total project cost 29.2 billion KRW).

Vice Mayor Kim emphasized that amid the global pandemic, issues such as food shortages and food safety have emerged, highlighting the importance of food tech as an alternative. He stressed that a paradigm shift in the food service industry based on food tech is essential, especially to resolve labor shortages in the food service sector and strengthen food safety.

He also requested that Pohang City, which possesses robot-related institutions and companies and has abundant growth potential in the food tech industry, be designated as a food tech innovation special zone, as the government is currently considering establishing such zones to support and foster the food tech industry, which is called a future new industry.

Following this, Vice Mayor Kim visited the Budget Office of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and explained projects being promoted in cooperation between Pohang City and Gyeongbuk Province, including ▲ the K-Kitchen (Smart Kitchen) project ▲ selection and operation of POSTECH’s food tech contract department ▲ the public-industry-academia cooperation ‘Food Tech Startup Technology Support Project’ (2 billion KRW), and requested the inclusion of national budget for the ‘Food Tech Square Convergence Support Center’ construction.

Vice Mayor Kim Nam-il said, “The food tech sector is a project that must be fostered for the creation of a future new industry ecosystem and for the food and food service industries,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to secure national budget before the government budget is finalized by frequently visiting central government ministries and the National Assembly.”

Pohang City plans to hold the ‘K-Kitchen Promotion Committee Launch Ceremony’ on the 26th together with Gyeongbuk Province, composed of local governments, related organizations, academia, food tech company representatives, and experts to promote the development of the food tech industry.

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