Fostering New Industries in the Heart of Daedeok Innopolis, Daejeon 'Science Capital' Takes Off

Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jeong is explaining the new year's administrative direction and key promotion tasks at the New Year's briefing on the 17th. Photo by Daejeon City

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] “We will enable Daejeon to soar as a science capital by fostering future-leading new industries that leverage the strengths of the Daedeok Innopolis.”

On the 17th, Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jeong expressed this ambition during the first briefing of the new year. The city has designated this year as the inaugural year for a paradigm shift toward future advancement and plans to focus on key tasks such as ▲ fostering leading new industries ▲ driving national balanced development centered on Daejeon ▲ realizing autonomous decentralization with citizens as the main stakeholders.

First, the city will concentrate on developing technologies related to space development and nurturing related industries, which are attracting attention as new growth engines centered on the Daedeok Innopolis this year. The core plan is to lead the establishment of the (tentatively named) Space Agency to create a high value-added space industry cluster in Daejeon.

In particular, Mayor Heo insisted that “the Space Agency must be established in Daejeon,” referring to the recent visit of Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party’s presidential candidate, to the Gyeongnam region, where he pledged multifaceted support for the aerospace industry in Gyeongnam.

He also requested Yoon’s camp to reconsider the pledges made for the Gyeongnam region, stating, “Building a cluster based on aerospace industry production bases located in Gyeongnam only considers the industrial aspect.” He emphasized, “Since the Space Agency has a strong function of implementing government policies, it should be decided based on a comprehensive judgment including research and development infrastructure, not just the industrial base.”

On the same day, Mayor Heo presented a blueprint for Daejeon to become the center of domestic science and technology by creating a new technology demonstration complex on the scale of a national industrial complex in the Chungcheong region, linked with adjacent areas such as Sejong and Cheongju, to lead the entire process from new technology R&D to demonstration and technology commercialization.

Along with this, Mayor Heo explained that he will also focus efforts on creating a technology startup ecosystem based on a virtuous cycle of startup, growth, and re-challenge, leveraging innovative startup infrastructures such as the Startup Park and Tipstown, which began last year, and the urban convergence special zone to be established in the old downtown area.

For balanced development centered on Daejeon, the city plans to newly promote the Chungcheong Inland Railway construction project connecting Daejeon Station and Sapgyo Station (Nae-po, Chungnam), and to concretize metropolitan transportation network projects such as extending Urban Railway Line 1 connecting Banseok~Sejong Government Complex~Cheongju Airport and constructing the Chungcheong Regional Metropolitan Railway.

Additionally, by establishing a cooperative system in the Chungcheong region and gradually advancing administrative district integration, the city aims to implement the construction of a ‘metropolitan economic, cultural, and living zone’ centered on Daejeon. The strategy also includes highlighting the old downtown as a new economic hub through differentiated urban regeneration focused on innovation cities, urban convergence special zones, and station areas.

Mayor Heo said, “Daejeon is the region with the highest innovation growth capacity nationwide. This year, the city will focus its administrative capabilities on leading this paradigm shift so that Daejeon can soar as a science capital. Through this, we will improve the quality of life for citizens by advancing regional industry and economic development.”