Daejeon Chamber of Commerce and Industry Urges Swift Second Relocation of Public Institutions, Says Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province Should Be Prioritized

[Financial News] The Daejeon Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged the South Korean government to move quickly on the second relocation of Public institutions from the Capital Region and to give priority and concentrated placement to institutions being relocated to Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province, which were excluded from the first round.
In a statement released on the 1st, the Daejeon Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, "Although the South Korean government has presented an era of self-reliant regional development as a key state agenda, the second relocation of Public institutions from the Capital Region, a core policy, is moving slowly." It added, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the responsible ministry, should immediately present a concrete roadmap covering the relocation targets, selection criteria, and procedures."
Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province were excluded from designation as Innovation City sites during the first relocation of Public institutions in 2005, but were belatedly designated as Innovation Cities in 2020. However, they have yet to receive any meaningful benefits from the relocation of Public institutions, and criticism has continued in the local community that they are "Innovation Cities in name only."
The Daejeon Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasized that prioritizing Public institutions for Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province, which were left out of the first relocation, is not a privilege but a measure to restore fairness among regions.
The chamber said a relocation strategy that links Daejeon's science, technology and R&D capabilities with South Chungcheong Province's advanced manufacturing base would also help strengthen national competitiveness. It argued that relocating related Public institutions to Daejeon, home to Daedeok Innopolis and KAIST, would accelerate technology commercialization. It added that placing industry- and energy-related Public institutions in South Chungcheong Province, which has manufacturing strengths in semiconductors, displays and automobiles, could create synergy for fostering future industries.
The Daejeon Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, "The South Korean government and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport should no longer delay the second relocation of Public institutions and must turn Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province into practical innovation hubs that lead balanced national development." It again called for swift implementation and a decisive move by the government.

[email protected] Kim Won-joon Reporter