BISTEP Develops Regional Problem-Solving R&D Promotion Strategy for Busan

Science and Technology Driven by Citizen Needs
Proposing Solutions to Five Major Regional Issues: Aging, Environment, Safety, and More

The Busan Institute of Science and Technology for Higher Education Promotion (BISTEP), led by President Kim Youngbu, has developed the "Busan Regional Problem-Solving R&D Promotion Strategy (Draft)" to address the core regional issues facing Busan through science and technology.

This strategy was established to identify and diagnose regional issues that recur in the daily lives of Busan citizens and to derive research and development projects aimed at solving them. Its distinguishing feature is that it goes beyond simple technological development, aiming to resolve issues that citizens can directly feel and to improve quality of life.

In particular, the strategy was designed starting from citizen awareness and demand. According to a survey conducted by BISTEP with 300 citizens, the necessity of science and technology for solving regional problems received an average score of 4.14 out of 5, while the need to expand investment in science and technology for regional problem-solving also showed high policy expectations with a score of 4.22.

BISTEP identified five major representative regional issues in Busan by integrating literature reviews, citizen surveys, and expert evaluations: acceleration of a super-aged society, health inequality within the region, crisis in environmental and ecological preservation of the Nakdong River, increased building safety issues, and vulnerability in road and traffic infrastructure safety.

This is significant in that it concretizes a regional problem-solving model reflecting Busan's local conditions and citizen needs. As solutions, the strategy prioritizes the use of advanced technologies such as AI and ICT in line with the government's "AI Basic Society" policy direction, while also presenting appropriate technologies that consider local conditions and feasibility, thus adopting a flexible approach.

BISTEP plans to submit this strategy to the Busan Science and Technology Promotion Committee and, based on this, will gradually promote the planning of next year's regional problem-solving R&D projects and the establishment of collaborative systems among industry, academia, research institutes, and government.

Kim Youngbu, President of BISTEP, stated, "This promotion strategy is the starting point for directly connecting science and technology to solving citizens' real-life problems," and added, "We will address the structural issues facing Busan through the region's research capabilities and technology, and continuously strengthen the local innovation ecosystem."