24th Public Discussion in Cheongju, Chungbuk
"Significant Increase in Digital Bio R&D Investment"
Support for K-Bio Square Development
President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 24th Public Discussion on Livelihoods held under the theme "Standing at the Center of Advanced Bio, Chungbuk" on the 26th at Dongbu Warehouse, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk. [Image source=Yonhap News]
President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 26th, "We must significantly increase investment in digital bio sectors such as new drug development using artificial intelligence (AI), digital therapeutics, and AI robot-integrated advanced medical devices," adding, "The government will generously support bold and innovative research." The goal is to expand the bioindustry production scale and usher in the '200 trillion won era by 2035.'
That afternoon, President Yoon held the 24th Public Discussion Forum under the theme "Standing at the Center of Advanced Bio, Chungbuk" at the Dongbu Warehouse in Cheongju, Chungbuk, and announced plans to develop Chungbuk into a leading base for the advanced bioindustry.
President Yoon forecasted, "The global advanced bio market size will expand from 2 trillion dollars in 2021 to 4 trillion dollars (approximately 5,200 trillion won) by 2035," and added, "While it is expected that the advanced bio market will double within the next 10 years, in my view, it will grow tremendously." He explained that as advanced countries rush to secure leadership in advanced bio, South Korea must accelerate efforts to leap forward in the advanced bioindustry, which holds infinite opportunities and a huge market.
"Advanced Bio Transformation, a Great Opportunity for Korea"
President Yoon emphasized that although traditional bio technologies have been dominated by a few Western advanced countries until now, the major transformation to advanced bio, which integrates AI and digital technologies, opens a great opportunity for Korea. Since Korea possesses world-class talent and high-quality medical data, and has rapidly transformed into a digital powerhouse with advanced technology and experience, if these strengths are well combined with the bio capabilities developed so far, Korea can firmly leap forward as a first mover leading the advanced bio era.
He also presented the direction of the national strategy for advancing into a bio powerhouse, the "Advanced Bio Initiative." First, the government plans to significantly increase research and development (R&D) investment in the 'digital bio' sector, including new drug development using AI and digital therapeutics. President Yoon stated, "The success of advanced bio depends on collecting and utilizing high-quality bio data well," and added, "We will create a bio data platform linking various bio data systems to provide services that researchers from industry, academia, research institutes, and hospitals want and need."
President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 24th Public Discussion on Livelihoods held under the theme "Standing at the Center of Advanced Bio, Chungbuk" on the 26th at Dongbu Warehouse, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Furthermore, based on advanced bio technologies, the plan is to improve the quality of life for citizens and expand welfare. President Yoon said, "We will open an era of digital mental health that treats conditions such as emotional anxiety and insomnia with software, as well as general health management," emphasizing, "In particular, through brain research, we will find treatments for mental illnesses experienced by modern people such as panic disorder and bipolar disorder, and develop neuromorphic chips that mimic brain principles to lead innovation in AI semiconductors." With personalized precision medicine becoming possible through gene therapy and cell therapy, the plan is to develop high value-added innovative bio pharmaceuticals to treat intractable diseases and maximize treatment effects for individual patients.
"Preparing for Pandemics... Securing mRNA Vaccine Technology"
Additionally, the plan is to transform the petrochemical-based materials industry into a bio-based one to lead innovation and competitiveness in other industries and to solve common challenges humanity faces, such as climate change, food shortages, and infectious diseases, through advanced bio. President Yoon said, "Many experts now predict that pandemics are inevitable," and added, "To prepare for the next pandemic, we will secure mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccine technology to maintain vaccine technology sovereignty." He emphasized laying the foundation to expand the domestic bioindustry production scale, which was about 43 trillion won in 2020, to open the 200 trillion won era by 2035.
Chungbuk will be developed as a leading base for the advanced bioindustry. President Yoon said, "We will support the establishment of the KAIST Osong Campus and the K-Bio Square, which will house universities, research institutes, bio companies, as well as business support service companies such as legal, financial, and accounting firms," expecting, "This will generate about 2.1 trillion won in added value and create approximately 29,000 jobs." He continued, "Securing convergent talents is most important for AI and bio integration," and said, "We will establish an AI Bio Science Gifted School in Osong, Chungbuk, and nurture customized talents needed for Chungbuk's future specialized industries in connection with the KAIST Osong Campus."
He added, "The government has decided to increase medical school quotas by 2,000 students and, on March 20, allocated an increase of 211 students in Chungbuk, raising the quota from 89 to 300," expressing expectations that "the increased number of doctors will work in essential regional medical services and simultaneously participate in research such as R&D, greatly contributing to the development of the advanced bio sector."
Kim Young-hwan, Governor of Chungbuk, also responded at the public discussion forum, saying, "Bioindustry development is impossible without increasing medical school quotas," and pledged, "We will never waste the increased quotas."
To further expand the advanced bioindustry, support will also be provided for the localization of bio materials, parts, and equipment currently dependent on overseas sources. President Yoon stated, "To truly grow into an advanced bio cluster, the development of advanced biopharmaceuticals and bio materials, parts, and equipment must be supported together," and added, "The government will actively support R&D, demonstration, testing, and commercialization of advanced bio materials, parts, and equipment companies to back private investment."
Also, since Chungbuk was designated this year as a global innovation special zone for advanced regenerative medicine, regulatory exemptions and financial support will be provided so that hospitals and companies in the special zone can use advanced regenerative medicine more freely and swiftly for patient treatment. President Yoon predicted, "Through this, more than 20,000 overseas medical tourists annually are expected to safely receive various treatments first in Chungbuk."
As Chungbuk is the largest domestic production base for secondary batteries, support will be strengthened. President Yoon said, "To intensively support Chungbuk's potential, Cheongju, Chungbuk was designated in July last year as a specialized complex for advanced secondary battery strategic industries," emphasizing, "We will promptly process permits and approvals and actively support infrastructure development such as power supply to back the planned 4 trillion won scale private investment in the specialized complex." He added plans to operate a Battery Academy and designate a specialized graduate school for secondary batteries to nurture over 5,000 core battery talents over the next five years. Furthermore, Chungbuk will be designated as a green bio industry promotion zone, and efforts will be made to create a green bio cluster linked with the existing developed bioindustries.
Expansion of Chungbuk Tourism and Transportation Infrastructure... Full-scale Promotion of CTX Project
President Yoon also mentioned expanding Chungbuk's tourism and transportation infrastructure, including fostering the 'East-West Trail' as a hub for nationwide forest trails, developing and revitalizing tourism resources using the 'Regional Revitalization Investment Fund,' and expanding transportation infrastructure centered on Cheongju Airport.
President Yoon said, "The railway connecting Cheonan to Cheongju Airport will complete design promptly and start construction in the first half of next year," adding, "The project to upgrade the Chungbuk Line from Cheongju Airport to Jecheon to high-speed rail will begin design in July this year, and construction will start within my term." He also promised, "The 55 km section of the Jungbu Expressway from Jeungpyeong to Hobeop, which frequently experiences traffic congestion, will be expanded from four lanes to six lanes. We will start a preliminary feasibility study in the second half of this year and complete the pre-feasibility study and secure the foundation for construction within my term."
The metropolitan express railway (CTX) project connecting Daejeon and Sejong to Cheongju, Chungbuk, will also be actively promoted. President Yoon said, "It will connect cities quickly at a maximum speed of 180 km/h, bringing a major innovation to Chungbuk's transportation," and added, "This is being prepared as a private investment project, with a private investment feasibility study starting next month, and a preferred negotiation partner will be selected within my term," receiving applause.
About 100 citizens, including university students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and citizens, attended the event, including LG Energy Solution Vice President Choi Seok-won, QTIS Bio CEO Choi Won-woo, and Secretary General of the Songnisan Dullegil Choi Won-seok. From the government and local governments, Woo Dong-gi, Chairman of the Local Era Committee, Kim Young-hwan, Governor of Chungcheongbuk-do, and Lee Chang-yoon, 1st Vice Minister of Science and ICT, participated. From the Presidential Office, Policy Chief Seong Tae-yoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs Jang Sang-yoon, and Senior Secretary for Science and Technology Park Sang-wook were present.
Meanwhile, the public discussion forums, which have been held 24 times until this day, are scheduled to be temporarily suspended until the general election day.
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