Gangwon Technopark Seeks a Breakthrough for the Bioindustry Through Foodtech and the Microbiome

【Financial News, Chuncheon = Kim Gi-seop, staff writer】As foodtech, which combines the food industry with biotechnology, emerges as a new growth engine for Gangwon’s bioindustry, universities, research institutions and businesses in the province gathered to explore ways to connect research findings with industrial applications.
According to Gangwon Technopark on the 22nd, it, KNU’s Nuruk Research Institute, the Gangwon Regional Industry Promotion Agency and the Chuncheon Bioindustry Promotion Agency jointly hosted the 2026 Seminar on Expanding Regional Bio Infrastructure that day in a conference room on the fourth floor of KNU’s Jiphyeon Hall. The seminar, held under the theme of trends in the foodtech industry and strategies for developing Gangwon’s regional industries, brought together representatives of bio-related institutions, businesses and research institutes in the province. They examined examples of convergence between the food industry and biotechnology, and discussed ways to apply research and development findings in industrial settings and expand regional cooperation.
In the first presentation, Jeon Jang-woo, research institute director at HiteJinro Co., Ltd., introduced examples of transforming byproducts from food manufacturing into new materials and products. His presentation focused on developing high-value-added materials and eco-friendly products through the upcycling of byproducts from beer production. He also highlighted the potential for efficiently using resources that would otherwise be discarded to foster the development of eco-friendly industries.
Next, Park Myeong-su, CEO of Bifido, discussed the potential for convergence between microorganism-based technologies and the food industry under the theme of bringing the microbiome and foodtech together. The discussion also covered directions for developing new products and services using microbiome technology, their commercial potential, and ways to apply them in industrial settings.
Attendees said the seminar had provided a forum for cooperation linking regional research capabilities with businesses’ technological needs. The organizers expect closer cooperation among universities, research institutions and businesses to help research findings in foodtech and the microbiome lead to practical applications and the development of new business opportunities.
Kim Jong-ye, director of KNU’s Nuruk Research Institute, said, “When biotechnology meets the food industry, as in the upcycling of beer byproducts or microbiome-based foods, it can open up opportunities for high-value-added materials, eco-friendly production and a new industrial ecosystem. We will continue to share the university’s research capabilities and businesses’ on-the-ground experience and seek ways to collaborate so Gangwon’s bioindustry can continue to grow.”
Seong Jo-hwan, head of the Policy Planning Group at Gangwon Technopark, said, “As the industrial environment changes rapidly, it is important to build the foundations Gangwon Province has in bio and foodtech into a real source of competitiveness. We will join forces across industry, academia, research institutes and government to identify new growth engines that will drive the regional economy.”

[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter