Hongcheon County lays groundwork for bio talent training linked to national antibody cluster

[Financial News, Hongcheon = Kim Gi-seop] Hongcheon County is accelerating efforts to build a foundation for training bio specialists centered on the national antibody cluster.
According to Hongcheon County on the 1st, Kangwon National University (KNU) was selected for the bio sector of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's 2026 support project for specialized graduate schools in advanced industries. As a result, a system for training master's and doctoral-level specialists linked to the Hongcheon National Antibody Cluster will be established. With this selection, KNU will receive up to 15 billion won in state funding over five years and train 205 core professionals at the master's and doctoral levels needed by the bio industry. The total project budget is 18 billion won, with Gangwon State, Hongcheon County and Chuncheon working together.
Since 2024, Hongcheon County has been working with Gangwon State and KNU to train specialists for the bio industry and establish a specialized graduate school. In particular, in January last year, Gangwon State, Hongcheon County, KNU, Gangwon Technopark and the Scripps Korea Antibody Institute signed a memorandum of understanding to establish and operate a graduate school specializing in immune antibodies, laying the groundwork for the project. With this public contest selection, that cooperation system is now expected to produce concrete results.
The Hongcheon National Antibody Cluster will serve as a hub for hands-on training and industry-academia cooperation for the specialized graduate school. Graduate students will take part in real research projects at companies and research facilities in Hongcheon, building practical skills in the antibody and preclinical fields. To support this, dedicated staff will be assigned to the Hongcheon Campus within the cluster, and classes will be run in a hybrid format linking the campus with KNU's Chuncheon Campus. The county plans to first set up temporary space for the graduate school inside the Antibody Industry Business Center and later build a specialized talent training center to gradually expand education and business support functions.
Through this project, Hongcheon County plans to expand the role of the national antibody cluster from a research facility into a broader platform for talent development, corporate support and industry-academia cooperation. It also aims to create a virtuous cycle in which specialists trained in the region can demonstrate their capabilities at companies and research institutes. The county will also strengthen cooperation with KNU, Gangwon State and cluster participating institutions so that educational and research outcomes can lead to corporate technology development and commercialization.
Hongcheon County Mayor Shin Young-jae said, "This is an important opportunity to fully establish the talent training foundation that has been steadily prepared in connection with the national antibody cluster," adding, "We will actively support graduate students so they can build practical skills in the antibody and preclinical fields by carrying out real research projects at companies and research facilities in Hongcheon."

[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter