Daejeon Designated as a Specialized Zone for Research and Talent Development in the 'Space Industry Cluster'

Provided by Daejeon City

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Daejeon is included as one pillar in the triangular structure of the space industry cluster.

According to Daejeon City on the 22nd, the Ministry of Science and ICT (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry) held the 22nd National Space Committee at the Government Seoul Office the day before and officially designated Daejeon, Gyeongnam, and Jeonnam as space industry clusters.

In the triangular system, Daejeon was designated as a specialized zone for research and talent development, Gyeongnam for satellites, and Jeonnam for launch vehicles.

The Ministry plans to focus support on each specialized zone along with the designation of space industry clusters and create synergy effects in fostering the domestic space industry through organic linkage and cooperation among the specialized zones.

In particular, the city emphasized that the Ministry expressed its commitment to focus support on future-leading research and development and nurturing excellent research personnel to create future space new industries in Daejeon.

This is interpreted as fully utilizing Daejeon’s advantage of having core research institutions, educational institutions, and companies concentrated in the space sector, as well as possessing the highest level of research and development expertise and infrastructure in the country based on this foundation.

So far, Daejeon has been recognized as an optimal site for a space industry cluster with high growth potential, with 14 research institutions including the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, three universities capable of specialized space education such as KAIST, and 69 space companies including Satrec Initiative concentrated there.

With Daejeon finally designated as a specialized zone for research and talent development in the space industry cluster, the city has set three major promotion strategies: ▲construction of the (tentatively named) Advanced Space Center ▲research and development to secure future space technologies ▲cultivation of specialized space talent unique to Daejeon, and plans to establish detailed project plans through close consultations with the Ministry.

Additionally, the city plans to prepare specialized measures for fostering the space industry linked to the space industry cluster development plan to enable Daejeon to be reborn as a special space city.

Lee Jang-woo, Mayor of Daejeon, said, “The confirmation of the triangular space industry cluster including Daejeon is the starting point and the best opportunity for our country to leap forward as a space power,” and added, “The city will do its best to establish solid project plans for core technology development and professional talent cultivation, making Daejeon a first-class economic city contributing to the development of the national space industry.”