Busan City to Host Dongsam Innovation District Marine Cluster Festival

Held by Marine Cluster Institutions on the 30th-31st, Hosted by the Council of Marine Cluster Institution Heads

Opening Ceremony at 2 PM on the 30th, Mayor Park Hyungjoon, Minister Kang Dohyung, Council Heads

The Busan Metropolitan Government announced that the Directors’ Council of the Dongsam Innovation District Marine Cluster will host the ‘Dongsam Innovation District Marine Cluster Festival’ for two days starting from the 30th, with events taking place at each institution within the marine cluster.

Dongsam Innovation District Marine Cluster Festival Poster.

The Council is composed of the heads of four relocated public institutions?Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Korea Maritime Institute, Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency, and National Fishery Products Quality Management Service?along with ten existing resident institutions such as Korea Maritime and Ocean University and the National Maritime Museum, as well as three supporting organizations including the city and Yeongdo-gu, which assist the settlement and collaboration of these institutions.

Since 2013, the Council has been operating with the aim of establishing an organic cooperation system among institutions to develop the Dongsam Innovation District into a world-class marine cluster.

This festival is the first large-scale, citizen-participatory event held since the Council’s formation. While the marine cluster institutions have previously promoted their achievements as Korea’s leading marine and fisheries organizations through joint academic conferences and educational programs, the Council has organized this festival with a variety of lectures and participatory programs to reach an even broader audience.

The Council plans to use this festival as a first step to invigorate the Council and enhance the internal and external recognition of the marine cluster.

Main events include: ▲Press briefing ▲Opening ceremony/opening program ▲Open campus events by institution ▲Ocean Stage (featuring guest lectures, magic shows, etc.) ▲Achievement exhibition (with concurrent job counseling sessions), among others.

Anyone interested, including Busan citizens, is welcome to attend freely.

The opening ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. on the 30th in the main auditorium of the National Maritime Museum. The event will feature a joint declaration pledging continued cooperation among marine and fisheries-related organizations in the Dongsam Innovation District Marine Cluster, as well as an expert talk concert. Mayor Park Hyungjoon, Minister Kang Dohyung of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and Council members are expected to attend and celebrate the event.

The city is working closely with the marine cluster institutions, which possess the nation’s top marine and fisheries research and innovation capabilities, to promote a variety of projects. In addition to supporting programs that help relocated public institutions settle in, the city is also identifying and collaborating on fields that can be linked with local industries, thereby leading the revitalization of Korea’s marine and fisheries industry as the nation’s maritime capital, Busan.

Major ongoing projects include: ▲Hosting the 10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) in Busan ▲Fostering data-driven new marine industries ▲Establishing an industry-academia-research cooperation center for marine science and technology ▲Creating a smart aquaculture cluster, among others.

Furthermore, taking this festival as an opportunity, the city plans to further strengthen its cooperative system with marine cluster institutions, resolve various issues discussed within the Council, and accelerate the development of a ‘global hub city’ based on these efforts.

Mayor Park Hyungjoon stated, “The Directors’ Council of the Dongsam Innovation District Marine Cluster, which brings together the heads of Korea’s top marine and fisheries institutions, has been serving as a think tank, discussing a variety of agendas to vitalize the marine and fisheries industry. I ask for the active interest and participation of citizens in this festival, which is a new initiative by the Council. I hope you will experience this unique festival firsthand, featuring diverse programs and distinctive lectures. As a member of the Council, I will actively support this festival. Moving forward, I will continue to communicate closely with the Directors’ Council to create synergy among the institutions.”