[Feature] "To Prevent Honam's Extinction, a 'Super-Metropolitan Science and Technology Belt' Must Be Established"

<1>Seeking Solutions to Regional Extinction Through Science and Technology
Honam Region Faces Deepening Crisis of Extinction... Urgent Need for Policy Alternatives
Proposal for an Integrated Body to Bridge the Capital Region R&D Gap
Transition to an Innovation Ecosystem Centered on Five Strategic Industries
Emphasis on Preventing Talent Outflow and Regulatory Innovation

Editor's Note
Gwangju, South Jeolla, and North Jeolla, collectively referred to as the Honam Super Metropolitan Area, have already surpassed the statistical threshold and are now classified as a "danger zone," with warning lights flashing red for regional extinction. Yet, every crisis brings new opportunities. The Honam Bureau of The Asia Business Daily is publishing a three-part feature series based on the report "Science and Technology Policy Research for the Revitalization of the Honam Super Metropolitan Area," published by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAST). KAST is the nation's premier science and technology advisory body, representing the collective intelligence of Korea's top scholars and presenting future national strategies. The first article discusses "super-metropolitan governance," which breaks down boundaries between local governments and consolidates research and development capabilities. The second article addresses the transition to "knowledge-based innovative industries," such as mobility and batteries. The final third article highlights a convergence model that combines Honam's asset of "renewable energy" with its driving force, "AI." The survival of local regions is directly tied to national competitiveness. The report emphasizes redefining regions not merely as recipients of support, but as "new engines" for national development. The creation of a "green digital economic zone," where Honam's sunlight and wind are combined with the intelligence of AI, is presented as the only alternative to overcoming the dominance of the capital region. We hope this series will serve as a catalyst for establishing practical implementation plans.

Cover of "Science and Technology Policy Research for the Revitalization of the Honam Super Metropolitan Area" published by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAST)

Facing the dual challenge of a rapidly declining population and a shortage of quality jobs, the Honam region has made a bold move to prevent the disaster of regional extinction by establishing a "super-metropolitan science and technology economic community" as its last line of defense. Experts point out that introducing a horizontal cooperation model-one that completely breaks down metropolitan boundaries beyond mere inter-municipal collaboration and integrates the region's science and technology resources and key personnel at the super-metropolitan level-is the last golden opportunity for the region's survival.

According to the report "Science and Technology Policy Research for the Revitalization of the Honam Super Metropolitan Area," published by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAST) on January 12, 2026, the crisis of extinction in the Honam region has already surpassed the point of no return. As of March 2024, the national average for the regional extinction risk index was 0.615, but South Jeolla stood at 0.329 and North Jeolla at 0.394, ranking among the lowest nationwide. In particular, 20 out of 22 cities and counties in South Jeolla and 13 out of 14 in North Jeolla were classified as at risk of extinction. In Gwangju, 4 out of 5 districts had also entered the danger stage, indicating that the entire metropolitan area is facing the threat of depopulation.

"Simple Support Cannot Bridge the Gap" ... Urgent Need for Comprehensive Reform of R&D Governance

The report identifies the severe disparity in research and development (R&D) capabilities between the capital region and local areas as the fundamental cause accelerating regional extinction. As of 2023, a staggering 70.2% of the nation's total R&D expenditure-amounting to 83.5725 trillion won-was concentrated in the capital region. Meanwhile, the national R&D investment growth rate for the three local governments in the Honam region fell significantly short of the national average of 7.2%, and the gap continues to widen every year. Furthermore, the number of science and technology researchers in the Honam Super Metropolitan Area accounts for only about 1-2% of the national total, making it difficult to even form the minimum research clusters needed for strategic technology development.

To address this structural imbalance, the report proposes integrating and upgrading the currently small-scale "R&D Support Groups" under local technoparks into a "Super Metropolitan Science and Technology Strategic Planning Group." Rather than each local government investing its budget independently in a survival-of-the-fittest approach, the suggestion is to establish a unified R&D strategy at the super-metropolitan level to ensure policy consistency and efficiency. This would allow the regional branches of government-funded research institutes, which are currently focused solely on top-down projects led by their main offices, to be organized into a single consortium, thereby transforming them to lead large-scale, regionally specialized convergence research.

Focusing on Five Strategic Industries ... "From Production Clusters to Innovation Ecosystems"

Five key sectors have been finalized as the practical growth engines to drive Honam's future: renewable energy, future mobility, smart agriculture and agri-food bio, artificial intelligence (AI), and medical and healthcare industries for an ultra-aged society.

The report warns that if the Honam region remains a labor-intensive, simple production cluster, it will become a significant national burden. It calls for a complete shift to knowledge-based innovative industries. Rather than viewing the local science and technology sector as merely a recipient of support, it should be developed as a pillar of national growth by building a new innovation ecosystem.

To this end, the report proposes that local universities, government-funded research institutes, and corporate research centers stop engaging in meaningless competition and instead establish a research and development ecosystem based on clear division of roles. In particular, it is necessary to integrate local R&D personnel to a critical mass to focus on strategic industries, and to create a virtuous cycle by transferring these technologies to local companies or linking them to startups. Additionally, attracting anchor companies to support local innovative industries, expanding youth employment projects, and creating an environment that encourages the "reverse outflow" of talent from the capital region back to local areas are presented as urgent goals for regional revitalization.

Moon Seunghyun, Distinguished Professor at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, stated, "The Honam region possesses excellent assets such as low population density and abundant energy potential, which can enable it to leap into the global economic arena. The local science and technology sector should be redefined not as a 'recipient of support' but as a core pillar of national development. By discovering bottom-up growth engines based on the region's unique knowledge and branding them to provide an attractive identity for the next generation of talent, we can finally overcome the wave of regional extinction."