Gyeonggi, Korea - Gyeonggi Province has been actively fostering Pangyo Techno Valley, which will be completed by 2015, as the next-generation new growth engine, a top official of Gyeonggi Institute of Science & Technology Promotion (GSTEP) said.
"We will actively foster Pangyo Techno Valley as Korea's best information & communications technology (ICT)-based R&D innovation cluster by investing a total of 5.27 trillion won by the end of 2015," GSTEP President Park Chung-taek said.
In an interview with Korea IT Times, Park said, "With the target of the completing the techno valley by 2015, some 70~80 percent of the project have already been completed. About 650 companies armed with advanced technology are now doing business in the valley. Large and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 50 percent of the valley, and the remaining 50 percent are medium-sized companies."
Asked about characteristics of Pangyo Techno Valley, President Park said, "We are now building a cluster, which combines ICT and software (SW). GSTEP is pushing ahead with various support projects to strengthen linkage and cooperation between enterprises in the valley, including such large firms as Samsung, Techwin, and SK Chemical, and research centers, including Institute Pasteur Korea and AhnLab. GSTEP was commissioned by Gyeonggi Province for the overall operations of the valley inclusive of establish it's regional innovation system."
On the basic strategy of GSTEP, Park said, "There are five areas of science technology that Gyeonggi Province can do well. They are Pyangyo-oriented ICT, SW, nano-convergence, bio and pharmaceutical industries. We plan to specialize in the five areas and make them an advanced base leading the nation's creative economy."
Construction of creative economy ecosystem
"First of all, we plan to build a Pangyo Techno Valley-oriented creative economy ecosystem by creating an innovation cluster that combines ICT and SW and support all business processes ranging from planning and R&D, to commercialization," said the GSTEP president.
"In a nutshell, we will build an ICT-convergence innovation cluster covering business incubator, policy forum, and education. Along with this, we will make a strong push for globalization of Gyeonggi Province's science technology," he said.
In a related development, GSTEP is now propelling international joint R&D projects with Brunei and Colombia by making the use of developing countries' natural resources based on Gyeonggi Province's technology innovation ability in such specialized industries as bio and pharmaceuticals.
"In addition, we are pushing ahead with attracting national R&D projects by strengthening the science technology policy linkage with the central government," he said.
Basic direction of GSTEP operation
Noting that GSTEP is trying to enhance the professionalism and practicality of the science technology policy based on creation and innovation, Park said, "We are pushing for a policy study suggesting creative ideas for the creation of new jobs and the specialization of high-tech industries to back up the realization of the creative economy propelled by the Park Geun-hye government.
"In addition, we are making efforts to develop Gyeonggi Province into an advanced base for the nation's creative economy by actively finding out and fostering high-tech industries, including information & communication, nano, bio, and pharmaceuticals, while fostering Pangyo Techno Valley as Korea's representative science and technology brand."
To solve mismatch problems occurring in the direction and demand of science technology policy between the central government and Gyeonggi Province, Park said, "We will tide over such problems through R&D investment in the regions linked with the central government and building a bilateral cooperative system."
At the same time, he continued to say, GSTEP will establish creative organizational culture to enhance professionalism and efficiency, while pursuing globalization of Gyeonggi Province's science technology.
Business environment of Pangyo Techno Valley
Commenting that Pangyo Techno Valley is now becoming a regional innovation cluster in the ICT sector, he said, "To maximize synergy effects following the integration of high-tech firms, GSTEP is supplying the land by classifying into three divisions according to function - an invitation research site, a general research site, and a research support site, while limiting the qualifications for entering the valley to high-tech companies.
"For instance, enterprises representing the domestic high-tech fields such as system semiconductor, game and bio are doing business in the valley. In particular, the nation's top four game companies, Nexon, NCsoft, NHN, and Neowiz Games, have already moved into the valley, cementing its status as the best game cluster," he explained.
To strengthen R&D capacity and improve managerial conditions of the high-tech companies that have moved to the valley, Gyeonggi Province is planning to supply three public support facilities, a global R&D center, a public support center, and an industry-academy-research R&D center.
The global R&D center is enhancing the global competitiveness of high-tech companies and offering their cooperation partners by attracting system semiconductor-core research centers such as ETRI and Korea Electronics Technology Institute and global companies, including GE Energy and Sartorius Korea.
"The public support center to be built in 2014 plans to offer a global R&D environment to high-tech firms moving into the valley by building an international conference room, an information library, and a public server computer room," said Park.
"The industry-academy-research R&D center to be completed in 2015 will offer research space to top-class domestic universities to activate creation and spread knowledge in the valley," he noted.
Merits and projects of GSTEP
Asked about the merits of GSTEP, Park said, "GSTEP can be put into action as an actual actor. GSTEP is in a good position to support high-tech industries as it has the built infrastructure concerning bio and pharmaceuticals.
"For instance, 49 percent of the science technology innovation capacity, including universities and research centers, are concentrating in the valley, which is located in the Seoul metropolitan area, providing convenience for people to get about."
On the projects to be propelled by GSTEP, he said, "We are now operating the Industry Innovation Cluster Committee (IICC) to encourage experts in universities and public research centers to participate in the existing IICC chiefly comprising enterprises to activate network and promote cooperation among the academic and industrial circles and research centers."
At the same time, GSTEP is engaging in a project to spread science culture by organizing such events, including visits to school to give science lectures, operation of a bio study and experience class for youths, and a student invitation event, all in an effort to enhance students' interest in science, beyond just offering of simple science knowledge.
As for the role of the central and provincial governments in the science technology field, Park said, "The local government cannot make sufficient investments in science technology by itself and it is playing a supplementary role to assist the central government's plan.
"Accordingly, it is desirable that the local government should lead a system construction project for science technology innovation by regional unit and the central government should support the local government-planned investment."
He stressed it is also desirable that the R&D comprehensive subsidy planned by the central government to strengthen region-initiated R&D projects should be used for supporting local governments equipped with the ability to propel science technology innovation, rather than using under the theory of regional balanced development.
"In keeping with the state policy to bolster R&D projects led by local governments, GSTEP has been equipped with a regional R&D planning, management and evaluation system for the first time among local governments and it is enhancing efficiency of R&D investment in science technology sector," he added.
