Let's Clearly Address the 'Southeast Radiation Industrial Complex'... Gijang Officials Taking the 'Daejeon-bound' Route

Busan Gijang-gun Oversees Major National Projects for 'Radiation Medical and Science Complex'
Explains Current Issues During Visit to Korea Research Foundation in Daejeon on 22nd, Urges Smooth Progress
Discusses Development of New Research Reactors,

On the 22nd, Oh Gyu-seok, Mayor of Gijang County (far right), and other Gijang County officials visited the Korea Research Foundation in Daejeon to request the promotion of a national project within the Southeast Medical Science Complex.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] “Even when crossing a stone bridge, tap it first; even on a familiar path, ask again before proceeding.”

Busan’s Gijang-gun has opened its “hawk’s eyes” to closely inspect ongoing issues in order to complete the long-awaited Dongnam Region Radiation Medical and Scientific General Industrial Complex.

Key national projects within the Dongnam industrial complex, such as the Export-Oriented New Research Reactor Development Project, the Heavy Ion Accelerator Construction Support Project, and the Radioisotope Convergence Research Infrastructure Establishment Project, are being closely monitored by Gijang-gun Mayor Oh Gyu-seok and his staff to ensure proper progress.

On the 22nd at 2 p.m., they visited the Korea Research Foundation. The visit aimed to urge the foundation to support the proper advancement of national projects within the industrial complex.

The Korea Research Foundation, located in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, is an institution responsible for task evaluation and budget management of various national projects under the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Mayor Oh met with Hong Nam-pyo, Secretary General of the Korea Research Foundation, to explain the basic current issues regarding the major national projects within the Dongnam industrial complex, including the Export-Oriented New Research Reactor Development Project, the Heavy Ion Accelerator Construction Support Project, and the Radioisotope Convergence Research Infrastructure Establishment Project, and requested the foundation’s efforts to ensure smooth progress for each project.

Secretary General Hong responded, “We are carefully monitoring each national project and will strive to ensure there are no delays in the schedule.”

The “Export-Oriented New Research Reactor Development Project” is a project to develop a research reactor that produces medical radioisotopes used for early cancer diagnosis and treatment, and is responsible for semiconductor production using neutrons and non-destructive testing.

After fierce competition among nine local governments in 2010, Gijang-gun was selected as the host. However, the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the earthquakes in Gyeongju and Pohang led to strengthened safety reviews by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, delaying the construction permit for the export-oriented new research reactor.

After efforts by Gijang-gun, Busan City, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, and related organizations and local communities, the construction permit was finally approved by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission in May 2019.

The “Heavy Ion Accelerator Construction Support Project” involves building a heavy ion accelerator, a treatment device that irradiates cancer cells with a carbon beam accelerated close to the speed of light.

This is advanced technology that only a few developed countries have successfully developed and are utilizing.

It was decided in 2010 to be introduced for the first time in Korea in Gijang-gun, but the project faced difficulties due to securing the host institution’s share of funding.

To revive the project, Gijang-gun, Busan City, and the Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences exerted efforts, and last year Seoul National University Hospital was confirmed as the host institution, bringing new momentum to the project.

The “Radioisotope Convergence Research Infrastructure Establishment Project” was confirmed in December 2019 as a linked project following the construction permit for the export-oriented new research reactor.

In the future, facilities and equipment necessary for radioisotope research will be established, and research on product development using isotopes and support for enterprises will be promoted.

Gijang-gun is developing the “Dongnam Region Radiation Medical and Scientific General Industrial Complex,” a cluster of advanced radiation technology industries, on a 1.48 million square meter site with a total project cost of 428.7 billion KRW, aiming for completion by 2021 in connection with these large-scale national projects.

Whether the Dongnam industrial complex will emerge as a world-class radiation medical science convergence cluster appears to depend on the will and pace of the “Gijang people,” as exemplified by Mayor Oh’s “trip to Daejeon” on this day.