Busan Gijang-gun, Promotes 'Southeast Radiation Medical and Science Industrial Complex' as a National Industrial Complex

On the 7th, Gijang-gun, Busan, held a forum on the theme of ‘Activation of Radiation Medical and Science Convergence Cluster,’ a campaign pledge of the 20th president, at the Ananti Hilton Busan Hotel.

At the event, Gijang-gun announced that it would take concrete steps toward the designation of the ‘Southeast Region Radiation Medical and Science General Industrial Complex’ as a national industrial complex and the establishment of a cancer treatment hub.

Attendees included Lee Seong-gwon, Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Busan; Jeong Dong-man, Member of the National Assembly; Jeong Jong-bok, Mayor of Gijang-gun; Park Woo-sik, Chairman of the Gijang-gun Council; Joo Han-gyu, Director of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute; Lee Nam-guk, Director of Planning at Pukyong National University; Woo Hong-gyun, Head of the Heavy Ion Accelerator Project Group at Seoul National University Hospital; and Park Sang-il, Director of the Southeast Regional Nuclear Medicine Institute.

Additionally, six institutions signed an agreement and discussed the activation of the radiation medical and science convergence cluster and industry-academia-research cooperation plans through expert presentations from each institution.

Gijang-gun decided to request the government to concretize the project for detailed promotion plans for the establishment and activation of the radiation medical and science convergence cluster centered on the Southeast Regional Industrial Complex, where radiation medical and science facilities are concentrated.

The Southeast Regional Industrial Complex is an industrial complex being developed by Gijang-gun in the Jang-an-eup area, covering approximately 450,000 pyeong (about 1.49 million square meters), with a total project cost of 434.3 billion KRW. The industrial complex development plan was established in 2010, construction began in 2014, and the first phase was completed in January this year, with full completion expected by the end of the year.

The Southeast Regional Industrial Complex includes the Southeast Regional Nuclear Medicine Institute, opened in 2010, a medical heavy ion accelerator, and a new export-type research reactor, which are under construction with target completion years of 2026 and 2027, respectively. To date, the total investment for national projects and industrial complex development has reached approximately 1.8951 trillion KRW.

Gijang County Office.

Based on this, Gijang-gun conducted policy research in March with experts from six institutions and the industrial economy sector, aiming to establish a Northeast Asia cancer treatment hub as pledged by the president, and derived 18 detailed tasks across three areas.

The first phase is ‘Expansion of Institutional Foundations,’ which requires the promotion of four projects: ▲ expanding the Southeast Regional Industrial Complex designation to a national industrial complex ▲ establishing a graduate school specializing in radiation medicine ▲ establishing the Radiation Medical and Science Industry Promotion Foundation and a branch of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

The second phase is ‘Strengthening the Capabilities of Existing Facilities,’ which includes eight projects: ▲ Southeast Regional Nuclear Medicine Institute: introduction of a small proton therapy device, establishment of a radiopharmaceutical-healthcare convergence research and development center, expansion of hospital beds, and expansion of the radiation emergency medical center ▲ Medical heavy ion accelerator: construction of a research beamline ▲ Export-type new research reactor: establishment of the Southeast Regional Isotope Science and Technology Institute (tentative name), strengthening research capabilities, and infrastructure development.

The third phase is ‘Establishment of Industry-Academia-Research-Hospital Cooperation Support System,’ which involves the establishment of six projects: ▲ Advanced Convergent Radiation Medical Device Center ▲ Radiopharmaceutical Production Center ▲ Radiopharmaceutical-Healthcare Smart Clinical Trial Center ▲ Non-human Primate Experimental Animal Center ▲ Radiation Convergence Specialized Human Resources Training Project ▲ Radiation Industry Venture Startup Support Center.

Gijang-gun plans to actively utilize approximately 140 billion KRW in sales revenue from related industrial land in the Southeast Regional Industrial Complex as needed to promote related projects.

Jeong Jong-bok, Mayor of Gijang-gun, said, “The establishment of a Northeast Asia cancer treatment hub must be pursued for the future development of Gijang and the expansion of medical services for the 10 million residents of the Southeast region.”

He added, “Since President Yoon Seok-yeol also included cluster activation in his pledge for the co-growth of regions and nuclear power plants and the convergence of advanced nuclear technology, we will ensure that the cluster is activated within the current administration’s term by coordinating with the political sector and related institutions.”