Pohang City Aims to Become a City Where 'Talents' Leading the Region's Future Gather

Achievements of Designating Glocal University 30, Education Development Zone, and Corporate Innovation Park

Pohang City will focus its administrative capabilities next year on creating an environment where outstanding talents can stay in the region and lead the local economy.

Youth forum held last April at Pohang Youth Center & Youth Startup Platform under the theme "Youth-led Residential Environment, Finding the Answer in Pohang!" Photo by Pohang City

This year, Pohang City, through close collaboration with the city council and local universities, became the only basic local government to have two universities (POSTECH and Handong Global University) designated under the Glocal University 30 project. With the designation of the Education Development Special Zone and the Corporate Innovation Park, Pohang is establishing itself as a balanced development hub city where companies and talents gather.

Next year, the city will accelerate efforts to create a city favorable for youth entrepreneurship by establishing a phased corporate support system.

To ensure that ideas from local new industry ventures and startups are not wasted but commercialized, the city plans to actively create related funds, establish the Global Industry-Academia Cooperation Center as an incubating and scale-up hub for startup companies, and build a venture business support platform to expand the foundation of the startup ecosystem.

Additionally, in connection with the APEC Summit scheduled to be held in Gyeongju next year, the city will build a global corporate network to secure new markets and investment destinations for venture and startup companies.

Alongside this, the city will take the lead in creating an ecosystem where talents born and raised locally can remain in the region.

By establishing a talent development platform linked to the Global Secondary Battery Campus and employment support system, the city aims to nurture 10,000 talents by 2030 and encourage them to settle in the region.

In cooperation with local universities, the city plans to open digital talent development education courses and build a convergent education platform centered on the Education Development Special Zone to foster global talents locally.

Furthermore, the city will strive to build a growth ladder for the co-growth of small business owners, youth, and universities.

This year, the special guarantee for management funds, which greatly supported local small business owners, will be expanded up to 200 billion KRW, and the alleyway commercial district revitalization support project is expected to inject vitality into the local economy.

By focusing on Glocal Universities, the city aims to create a community where domestic and international talents want to come, responding to regional extinction, and provide opportunities for youth to participate in practical policy-making. Through tailored youth policy promotion, Pohang plans to become a youth-friendly city where the city and youth grow innovatively together.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok said, “A virtuous cycle where talents nurtured locally stay and lead regional development will be the true driving force supporting the local era,” adding, “We will strive to make Pohang a land of opportunity for youth through talent development suited to local conditions and competitive policy implementation.”

Pohang City was selected as the first pilot area for the 'Education Development Special Zone' last February. (At the working-level council meeting for the designation of the Education Development Special Zone pilot area held at City Hall last January). Photo by Pohang City