Korea Polytechnic University Proposes Policy for Revitalizing Turtle Island through Cooperation

Proposal for Public-Private-Academic-Research Cooperation Strategies

Korea Polytechnic University announced on the 1st that it held a 'Public-Private-Academic-Research Cooperation Policy Seminar' together with Siheung City.

Poster for the "Turtle Island Revitalization Public-Private-Academic-Research Cooperation Policy Seminar" held at Korea Polytechnic University. Korea Polytechnic University

This seminar was held on July 29 at the Industry-Academic Cooperation Building of TU Research Park in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, in connection with the development of the Turtle Island Marine Leisure Complex. The purpose was to explore ways to create a sustainable residential ecosystem and to revitalize the local commercial district.

The event began with an opening address by President Hwang Soosung and a welcoming speech by Oh Inyeol, Chair of the Siheung City Council. This was followed by keynote presentations: ▲Shin Kidong, Senior Research Fellow at Gyeonggi Research Institute, on 'Directions and Metropolitan Strategies for Fostering the Turtle Island Commercial District'; ▲Kim Hyungseong, Head of Research Planning at Siheung Policy Research Institute, on 'Local Governance Strategies for Revitalizing Turtle Island'; and ▲Lee Jaekwang, Director of Planning at Korea Polytechnic University, on 'The Role and Tasks of Local Universities.'

Siheung is a city with a high proportion of young people, with the core working-age population aged 20 to 40 accounting for 44%, which is higher than the national average of 39.6%. This gives the region significant potential for future industrial growth. However, Turtle Island is currently developed with a focus on tourism and leisure, resulting in a weak resident population base and a lack of industrial and educational infrastructure that would enable young people to settle and work in the area.

Lee Jaekwang, Director of Planning, emphasized, "Improving the living conditions for young people and creating quality jobs within the region are key to revitalizing Turtle Island," and added, "By leveraging the university's industry-academic cooperation infrastructure to connect youth entrepreneurship and employment, we can create a virtuous cycle for sustainable regional economic growth."

At this seminar, Korea Polytechnic University unveiled a local circular economy model that combines industry-academic cooperation, entrepreneurship, and tourism. The core of the model is to build an innovative ecosystem centered on TU Research Park, where research, startups, and advanced industries are integrated. This model includes a strategy to simultaneously advance local industries and promote youth entrepreneurship by linking Siheung Smart Hub and the Turtle Island Marine Leisure Complex.

In particular, the 'AI-Factory 7' manufacturing startup incubating center, which will be established within the university, is expected to become a key hub for local manufacturing startups. This AI-based startup platform will support the entire process from idea discovery to prototype production and mass manufacturing within seven days.

Additionally, through the 'Deep Tech Village,' the university plans to attract promising companies in AI, robotics, energy, and advanced materials, and to actively promote the advancement and transformation of regional industries by sharing the university's research infrastructure with the private sector.

The comprehensive discussion session included participants such as Cho Seonggi, President of the Siheung Small Business Association, and Yoon Jincheol, Director of Balanced Development at Siheung City Hall. They discussed practical implementation tasks such as supporting small businesses, linking local jobs, and establishing spaces for startup demonstrations.

The participants shared a common vision to develop Turtle Island into a leading national example of urban innovation based on the public-private-academic-research cooperation model.

Korea Polytechnic University plans to drive innovation in the economic and cultural ecosystem throughout Siheung, centered on Turtle Island, by growing TU Research Park into a hub for youth entrepreneurship, lifelong education, and industrial transformation through government R&D projects and local business investment linkage.