Jeju to broaden ties between the innovation city and residents through science and village experiences

【Financial News Jeju = Reporter Jung Yong-bok】 Jeju Innovation City, established around the relocation of public institutions, is broadening its reach as a living space shared by local residents and people across Jeju. By combining hands-on science activities for children with the history and everyday culture of an established village in a single event, the initiative brings the idea of mutual growth between the innovation city and surrounding communities into daily life.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on the 7th, the province will hold the “Jeju Innovation City Win-Win Development Gathering” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the 11th at the Jeju Innovation City Complex Innovation Center in Seogwipo.
The event is hosted by Jeju Province and organized by the province, the Seoho-dong Village Association, and the Jeju Science and Culture Association. Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation is sponsoring it.
The event comprises science exploration missions, Seoho Village exploration missions, and family-oriented activities. It focuses on offering science and cultural experiences in the innovation city while also introducing the history and everyday culture of neighboring Seoho Village.
The science exploration program teaches scientific principles encountered in everyday life—including magnetism, solar energy, light, waves, and flight—through experiments and hands-on projects.
Visitors can try gyroscopic tops, cars that move using light, optical illusion spinners, powered airplanes, a piggy bank that makes coins disappear, kaleidoscopes, alcohol rockets, and hand gliders. Activities will also include making keychains with LEGO figures and 3D pens, as well as trying out a dinosaur electric vehicle.
The local culture program connects with the established village of Seoho-dong, where the innovation city is located. Participants can learn about the origin of Seoho Village’s name, how the village was founded, and its history and culture, and make bingtteok, a traditional Jeju dish.
The Jeju Innovation City Complex Innovation Center, where the event will be held, was built to address gaps in the innovation city’s settlement infrastructure, including cultural, sports, and childcare facilities.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s innovation city project, a total of 29.9 billion won was invested in the Jeju Complex Innovation Center. Construction was completed in May 2022, and it opened in January 2023. It has a swimming pool, a daycare center, multipurpose spaces, and other facilities. A key feature is that it serves as everyday infrastructure for residents of surrounding areas as well as those of the innovation city.
Jeju Innovation City was developed across 1,135,000 square meters in parts of Seoho-dong and Beophwan-dong in Seogwipo. Its planned population capacity is 5,100. Since the relocation of public institutions, the challenges facing innovation city policy have shifted from placing institutions to improving living conditions and connecting with local communities, increasing the role of the Complex Innovation Center and resident-focused programs promoting mutual growth.
The event is essentially a resident exchange program that opens existing innovation city spaces to local residents and broadens ties with nearby villages.
Mutual growth in innovation cities is not limited to cooperation between relocated public institutions and local businesses or the hiring of local talent. Creating a community where residents of established villages and innovation city residents can share everyday cultural and educational programs is also considered a challenge for innovation cities as they move into the settlement phase.
Hyeon Ju-hyeon, Jeju Province’s director general for urban construction, said, “We organized the event so children and families can easily enjoy science and experience the history of Seoho Village and Jeju culture together,” adding, “We will use it as an opportunity to bring Jeju Innovation City closer to residents across the province.”


[email protected] Jung Yong-bok Reporter