Mokpo Selected as an Education Development Special Zone... Aiming to Become a Prestigious Education City

Strengthening Talent Development Foundation Scholarship Programs

Mokpo City in Jeollanam-do (Mayor Park Hongryul) is making efforts to become a premium education city.

According to the city on the 15th, Mokpo was selected as a pilot area for the Ministry of Education's "Education Development Special Zone" project, which was jointly applied for in February last year with the Office of Education, Muan-gun, and Shinan-gun. As a result, a total project budget of 14.6 billion KRW, including special local education financial grants, will be invested over three years.

Last year, as part of the first-year projects, Mokpo promoted initiatives for integrated care, such as supporting all-day care classrooms and establishing hub-type Neulbom Centers. The city also operated joint education curriculums for kindergarten, elementary, and middle schools, as well as industry talent training courses linked with specialized high schools and universities.

Mayor Hongryul Park is explaining the importance of the Glocal University project at the Jeonnam Global Innovation Forum inauguration ceremony. Photo by Mokpo City

This year, Mokpo will expand support for all-day care classrooms and officially begin operating hub-type Neulbom Centers to create a better environment for raising children. In addition, as the demand for professionals in regional strategic industries such as offshore wind power and marine tourism is rapidly increasing, the city plans to strengthen educational programs for nurturing specialized talent.

Mokpo National University reached a significant turning point last August when it was selected for the Ministry of Education's "Glocal University" project. Through this project, the university will receive 100 billion KRW in national funding over five years and aims to develop into a global university leading innovation in eco-friendly carbon-free ships and green marine energy industries.

Mayor Park Hongryul played a key role in the face-to-face evaluation for the selection of the Glocal University, actively explaining the necessity of Mokpo National University's selection. After the selection, he has continued to make every effort for the success of the Glocal project, pledging 12 billion KRW in financial support over five years in cooperation with the city council. This year, the city has also dispatched personnel to the Glocal University Promotion Team to further support the initiative.

Going forward, the city will strengthen specialized workforce training programs focusing on regional specialized industries such as the development of an eco-friendly ship cluster and the creation of an offshore wind power hinterland complex at Mokpo New Port. Mokpo will also expand its overseas cooperation network in connection with the Glocal University project.

The Mokpo City Talent Development Foundation, established in 2008, has implemented various scholarship programs. Last year, it provided scholarships totaling 555.64 million KRW to 617 recipients. Starting this year, the foundation plans to implement 10 scholarship programs, including a "Happy Dormitory" project for Mokpo-born university students living in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Through these efforts, Mokpo aims to offer more benefits to outstanding local talent and improve settlement conditions within the city to support their retention.

Mayor Park stated, "This year, we will focus on nurturing specialized talent to lead regional strategic industries by actively promoting the Education Development Special Zone pilot project and the Mokpo National University Glocal University project," adding, "By expanding the scholarship programs of the Talent Development Foundation, we will accelerate Mokpo's leap forward as a premium education city."