Pocheon, From 70 Years of Sacrifice to the Heart of Advanced K-Defense
Successful Bid for the Gyeonggi Defense Venture Center
Emerging as a Hub for Advanced Defense Industries
Leading Regional Development with a Complete AI and Drone-Based Ecosystem
Mayor Baek Younghyun Leads Gyeonggi Defense Venture Center Bid with Personal Presentation
Pocheon, a city that has borne the heaviest sacrifices for over 70 years on the frontlines of South Korea's national security, is now embarking on a new leap forward as a "hub city for advanced defense industries." On October 23, after intense competition, Pocheon secured the final selection for the "Gyeonggi Defense Venture Center," a core policy of Gyeonggi Province, drawing attention as a key location shaping the future of South Korea's defense industry. The city is being recognized not just for attracting an institution, but for achieving a symbolic transformation from a "city of sacrifice" to a "city of opportunity."
Baek Younghyun, mayor of Pocheon, is attending the Drone Expo and inspecting drones. Provided by Pocheon City
According to Pocheon City on October 28, since the launch of the 8th popularly elected administration, the city has consistently built a collaborative ecosystem involving the public, private, military, academic, and research sectors, with advanced defense industry as its future growth engine. Pocheon has established practical cooperation by signing agreements with major military institutions such as the Drone Operations Command, Army Training & Doctrine Command, and the Air Defense School. The city has also actively reflected field voices in its administration through major defense exhibitions and seminars such as Drone Show Korea. These efforts culminated in the successful attraction of the Gyeonggi Defense Venture Center.
Pocheon is one of the regions that has endured the greatest sacrifices for national security since the division of the Korean Peninsula. It is the only city that possesses military facilities equivalent to 17 times the size of Yeouido. Furthermore, the city’s development has been restricted by various overlapping regulations. However, Pocheon did not stop there; instead, it sought to turn these limitations into opportunities for innovation.
Baek Younghyun, Mayor of Pocheon, stated, "Every citizen of Pocheon wishes for the city's development," adding, "I personally made the presentation as a representative of our citizens. This achievement is a victory for everyone in Pocheon."
The core of this success was the collaboration among the public, private, military, academic, and research sectors. In September, Pocheon City established a task force to attract the Gyeonggi Defense Venture Center and pooled its capabilities. The task force was jointly led by the mayor of Pocheon and the vice president of Daejin University. Technical support was provided by Gyeonggi Daejin Technopark and the Pocheon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, while strategy development and R&D were handled by the Seoul National University Intelligent Unmanned Vehicle Research Center and the Pine VT Electronic Warfare & Security Research Institute.
Consulting for the defense industry was conducted by the Korea Drone Industry Association and the Military Technology Association. The Defense Agency for Technology and Quality’s Darakdae Test Center and the Korea Testing Laboratory participated as advisory organizations, completing a realistic and actionable roadmap.
The task force went beyond simply attracting the center, presenting a comprehensive industrial ecosystem that integrates testing, evaluation, certification, talent development, and business scaling, in line with the government's K-Defense G4 initiative.
Pocheon received high marks for offering a practical solution to the commonly cited problem among defense companies-the lack of demonstration sites-by utilizing the country's only large-scale live-fire range and military facilities.
The newly attracted Gyeonggi Defense Venture Center will be established in March 2026 at the Daejin University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation. Centered around this, Pocheon plans to build a complete system where design, development, testing, evaluation, and certification take place in one location by also promoting an AI-based civil-military drone operability testing and evaluation center and a digital twin-based drone education and training center. Through advanced training facilities incorporating augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies, the city aims to train more than 3,000 professionals annually and lead the way in achieving technological independence in AI-based manned-unmanned integrated systems.
This is different from simply establishing an industrial complex or attracting a research institute. Pocheon aims to organically connect the AI industry infrastructure concentrated in southern Gyeonggi Province with the demonstration infrastructure in northern Gyeonggi, thereby completing a "Gyeonggi-style advanced defense industry cluster." This vision naturally aligns with the government's plan to train 500,000 drone warriors and the K-Drone supply chain initiative.
Pocheon is a strategic stronghold of South Korea and is regarded as an optimal location for the defense industry. It is accessible within one hour from downtown Seoul and already has large-scale industrial complexes and logistics infrastructure in place. With the expansion of major transportation networks such as the Sejong-Pocheon Expressway, prototype production and logistics movement are facilitated. In addition, the presence of Asia's largest live-fire range, the Rodriguez Training Area, and the Seungjin Science Training Center provides a real-world testing and demonstration environment, making it highly advantageous for technology verification and feedback collection.
Pocheon Mayor Baek Younghyun is shaking hands and greeting the Drone Operations Commander. Provided by Pocheon City
The 5th Army Corps, a military demand institution, is stationed in Pocheon, allowing for immediate feedback. Local universities, including Daejin University, serve as bases for talent development and research and development. Within the Pocheon industrial complex, there are over 1,100 manufacturing companies, of which more than 250 are considered capable of transitioning to the defense industry. If neighboring Yangju, Yeoncheon, and Dongducheon are included, there are about 1,000 potential transitioning companies, providing ample room for industrial expansion.
Pocheon City is not stopping at simply attracting the center, but is focusing on institutionalizing corporate support. Through a three-tiered structure of administrative support fast tracks, policy linkage, and guaranteed financial continuity, the city plans to lower the initial entry barriers for companies and resolve bottlenecks in the industrial flow from demonstration to procurement and export.
This system is expected to directly contribute not only to the balanced development of northern Gyeonggi Province, but also to strengthening the global competitiveness of K-Defense. The Gyeonggi Defense Venture Center, to be located in the Daejin University College of Human Ecology, will be equipped with all the infrastructure necessary for stable operation, including 30 office spaces for tenant companies, 10 lecture rooms, and 74 parking spaces.
Pocheon is also preparing plans for linked development with advanced industrial complexes, taking into account long-term scalability. In addition to defense industry R&D, the city is expected to establish itself as a hub for the defense industry in northern Gyeonggi Province, encompassing corporate support and talent development across the entire industry.
Participants including Baek Younghyun, Mayor of Pocheon, are taking a commemorative photo after the "FiveNT Electronics Warfare and Security Seminar." Provided by Pocheon City
Mayor Baek Younghyun stated, "Pocheon already possesses a deep understanding of and strong capabilities for advancing the defense industry. With the attraction of the Defense Venture Center, Gyeonggi Province and Pocheon have seized the opportunity to lead the modernization of South Korea's defense industry," adding, "We will bring about real change for balanced development in northern Gyeonggi, which has sacrificed for national security for over 70 years, and for enhancing national competitiveness."
Pocheon is being reborn as the center of K-Defense where cutting-edge technology and innovation thrive, and as the heart of South Korea's defense industry where the public and military grow together.
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