252 Billion KRW Invested in Creating an Integrated Education and Research Facility
Pohang Actively Fosters the Marine Industry as a New Growth Axis to Lead the City's Future
On July 9, Pohang City held the opening ceremony for the Advanced Marine R&D Center, which is expected to serve as a new growth engine for the marine industry, and officially began its operations.
More than 120 people attended the opening ceremony, including Mayor Lee Kangdeok, City Council Chairman Kim Ilman, Gyeongbuk Vice Governor for Economic Affairs Yang Geumhee, local city and provincial council members, heads of marine research institutes in the East Sea Rim region, and key leaders from local industry and academia, to celebrate the launch of the center.
Pohang City signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Gyeongbuk Province, the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, the Korea Institute of Robot Convergence, and the Small & Medium Shipbuilding Industry Cooperative Research Institute to revitalize the advanced marine industry in the East Sea Rim. The parties agreed to cooperate in building a foundation for the development of the marine industry.
The participating organizations plan to establish a collaborative system that encompasses marine technology, industry, and culture, and to strengthen their alliance for the sustainable growth of the marine industry along the East Coast.
The Advanced Marine R&D Center is a complex facility for education and research, built with a total project cost of 25.2 billion KRW. The center consists of one basement level and nine above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 9,466 square meters. It is equipped with factory-type and research-type laboratories, a marine control center, and other advanced infrastructure.
The center will focus on researching and developing new marine industries specialized for the East Coast, based on ICT convergence technology, and will serve as an industrial hub that connects everything from demonstration to commercialization.
In addition, the center is expected to perform various functions in the future, such as establishing a technology cooperation system by clustering R&D institutions and companies related to new marine industries, conducting demonstration research based on testbeds, discovering new convergence industries, and creating a marine industry ecosystem in the East Coast region.
In particular, as Pohang has been seeking an industrial transformation amid the downturn of the steel industry, the city plans to use the opening of the center as an opportunity to foster the marine industry as a new growth axis, following bio, secondary batteries, and hydrogen, thereby accelerating industrial diversification.
Mayor Lee Kangdeok stated, "The Advanced Marine R&D Center is a key hub that will lead the future of Pohang as a marine city," and added, "We will spare no effort to support Pohang in leading future marine technology through close cooperation among industry, academia, and research institutes."
Participants of the opening ceremony are touring the interior facilities of the Advanced Marine R&D Center. Photo by Pohang City
Last month, Pohang City designated the Advanced Marine R&D Center as a venture business cluster facility. As a result, tenant companies can enjoy practical benefits, including support for technology and funding, as well as the ability to install manufacturing facilities by registering as urban factories.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
