Seocheon County Sole Applicant for Hosting West Sea Research Institute of Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology

Chungnam Province Expects to Lay the Foundation
for Basic Marine Science Research and Marine Industry Development

Chungnam Provincial Government Office Building View

It has been reported that Seocheon-gun in Chungnam has submitted a sole application to host the West Sea Research Institute of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST).

Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology announced on the 4th that Seocheon-gun was the only applicant for the construction of the West Sea Research Institute.

Chungnam Province expects that Seocheon-gun will serve as a foundation for basic marine science research and the fostering of the marine industry, and plans to focus its administrative resources accordingly.

Governor Kim Tae-heum stated at the 72nd Provincial Office Directors' Meeting on this day, "We will do our utmost to attract the institute to Seocheon-gun," and instructed Vice Governor Jeon Hyung-sik to oversee the matter personally.

Seocheon-gun also expressed its intention to attract the KIOST West Sea Research Institute and requested support during a policy meeting in May last year, which was attended by National Assembly member Jang Donghyuk (People Power Party, Boryeong.Seocheon, Chungnam).

Kwon Minsik, head of the Marine Policy Team at the Provincial Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Bureau, stated, "Originally, since the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology relocated from Ansan in Gyeonggi to Busan, it became difficult to support research on the West Sea region, leading to continued demands from local governments for the establishment of the West Sea Research Institute. Chungnam strategically decided to take on the same financial burden required by the establishment criteria, such as purchasing and providing the designated land, and covering part of the construction and management costs."

He added, "Seocheon-gun is an underdeveloped area within the province, and both the province and Seocheon-gun have a strategic direction to revitalize the region by focusing on basic marine science and the fostering of the marine industry. To establish a regional research institute, a pilot project site will be selected, operated for about 30 months, and if it passes the feasibility evaluation, the main institute will be established."

He further emphasized, "There are specialized strategies for each region, such as Dangjin's future port and fisheries industry, Boryeong's leisure tourism city and marine tourism, and Seocheon's basic marine science research and marine industry development. This West Sea Research Institute represents a mid- to long-term policy to nurture Seocheon as a hub for the marine industry and basic science research."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.