Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province step up efforts to train physical AI talent with universities and others

【Financial News, Daegu and Andong—Reporter Kim Jang-wook】Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province are drawing attention for establishing a supra-regional talent development system to train talent in physical artificial intelligence (AI).
On the afternoon of the 27th, Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province held a launch ceremony for the “Daegu–Gyeongbuk Region Growth Engine Talent Development Project” at Chungwoon University at Kumoh National Institute of Technology, together with local universities, companies and institutions based in the Daegu–Gyeongbuk region, and signed an agreement to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
The event was held as a follow-up to the project’s selection in the Ministry of Education’s call for proposals for the “Supra-regional Growth Engine Talent Development Project.” Representatives from Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, participating universities based in the Daegu–Gyeongbuk region, companies and related institutions attended and pledged to work together to train talent in growth-engine sectors and help them settle in the region.
Earlier, last September, the Daegu–Gyeongbuk region received an S rating in the government’s call for proposals for the Growth Engine Talent Development Project, securing 15 billion won in annual funding from the national government and 60 billion won over four years.
The project is led by Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Kumoh National Institute of Technology, with Daegu City and universities based in the Daegu–Gyeongbuk region participating. It brings together eight universities—Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Yeungnam University, Gumi University, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Keimyung University, Yeungnam University College and Yeungjin University College—as well as 15 local companies, including Wonik QnC and SL, and six high schools, including Gumi Electronic Technical High School.
Mayor Choo Kyung-ho emphasized, “Local governments, universities and companies will work closely together to develop the talent local industries need, and we will actively support efforts to ensure this leads to good jobs in the region.”
Governor Lee Cheol-woo stressed, “Developing advanced industries and attracting companies requires talent, water and power. Building on a stable power supply and abundant water resources, the province will devote every effort to developing talent and work to become a hub for the nation’s advanced industries.”
Building on the agreement, the initiative will connect the capabilities of local governments, universities and companies, establishing a foundation for supra-regional cooperation that extends from talent development to employment and business start-ups, joint industry-academia research and technology commercialization.
The project will train about 3,000 innovative talents in the Daegu–Gyeongbuk region in semiconductor materials, components and equipment, and AI manufacturing robots. Its targets include an employment rate of 60% in growth-engine sectors, a regional employment rate of 50%, 222 technology transfers, 125 start-ups and 1,310 patent applications.
Kim Sang-ho, president of Kumoh National Institute of Technology, said, “We will carry out the project so that its outcomes do not remain solely within the university, but lead to innovation in local industries and young people settling in the region.”

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