Haenam County Accelerates Creation of Education Development Special Zone... Fostering 'Green Talent'

100 Billion KRW in National Funding to Be Provided Over Four Years Until 2028
"Job Creation Expected Through Linkage with Opportunity Development Special Zone"

Haenam County in South Jeolla Province (Governor Myung Hyun-gwan) announced on the 24th that, in order to establish the Education Development Special Zone, which will be in full operation starting this year, a dedicated team has been formed consisting of officials from the county, the Office of Education, and the Education Foundation to strengthen cooperation.

The dedicated team will determine the direction and detailed schedule of the Education Development Special Zone projects and work to maximize the effectiveness of the zone by enhancing inter-agency collaboration.

Last year, the county was selected as a pilot area for the Ministry of Education's Education Development Special Zone, and will receive up to 10 billion KRW in national funding over the next four years until 2028. With this support, the county will promote education innovation projects as well as specialized education linked to local industries.

Haenam County Office Building Exterior View

The Haenam County Education Development Special Zone has set the goal of "Nurturing Green Talent Returning to Haenam," and has established four main strategies and 29 detailed tasks. Key initiatives include: ▲ Community-based care "Edu-care to the End of the Land" ▲ "Regional Joint and Linked Education" for educational innovation and co-growth ▲ Glocal specialized education "Haenam Green Talent Specialized Education" ▲ Industry-academia collaboration for workforce development "Haenam Green Job Support," with pilot projects centered on these strategies.

Starting in March this year, the county plans to implement detailed projects such as joint education for small kindergartens, nurturing green talent in elementary, middle, and high schools, global smart education, and building a career platform.

The establishment of the county's Education Development Special Zone is expected to create a synergy effect with the Opportunity Development Special Zone, also known as one of the two major special zones, drawing further attention. With two Opportunity Development Special Zones designated last June, it is anticipated that the attraction of advanced companies in renewable energy sectors such as global data centers and offshore wind power equipment complexes will increase. As a result, the Education Development Special Zone project will focus on nurturing talent in related fields and improving settlement conditions through better educational environments.

In addition, large-scale national projects such as the Opportunity Development Special Zone, the Agricultural Food Climate Change Response Center, the Carbon Neutral Edu Center, the Green Convergence Cluster, and the Fisheries Equipment and Aquaculture Cluster are being launched in earnest. These initiatives are expected to play a significant role in building a workforce development system that can meet the talent needs of advanced industries such as climate, environment, renewable energy, and data industries.

A county official stated, "We expect that the Education Development Special Zone will help prevent population decline and regional extinction by improving educational conditions, and will create local jobs in connection with the Opportunity Development Special Zone. The county, Haenam Office of Education, local universities and companies, and local public institutions will work together to ensure the successful implementation of the project."