Daejeon pushes case for defense materials and components hub designation

Daejeon is stepping up efforts to build the case that it is the ideal location for a specialized defense materials and components complex, positioning the city as the hub of South Korea's advanced defense industry.

The city said Tuesday it co-hosted a National Assembly forum with all seven of its local lawmakers to discuss the need to designate Daejeon as a specialized defense materials and components complex and chart a path for its development.

The forum was organized ahead of the final announcement of the complex's designated location, expected in September, to share Daejeon's defense industry credentials and broaden support for the city's bid.

Held under the theme "Daejeon: The Optimal City for Advanced Defense Industry," the forum was co-hosted by seven Daejeon-area National Assembly members — Jang Cheol-min, Park Beom-gye, Cho Seung-rae, Jang Jong-tae, Park Yong-gap, Park Jeong-hyeon and Hwang Jeong-a — and jointly organized by the city, Daejeon Technopark, the Daejeon Institute of Science and Industry Promotion and the Daejeon Defense Industry Business Cooperative.

About 100 people attended, including local lawmakers, Daejeon Vice Mayor for Political Affairs, Economy and Science Ji Yeong-han, and representatives from government agencies, defense-related institutions, research organizations, universities, defense companies and industry experts. Jeong Jae-won, director of KAIST's Eulji Research Institute, served as moderator. Kang Yeong-ju, a senior research fellow at the Daejeon Research Institute, delivered the keynote address on the theme "A Leap Toward Sustainable Growth of K-Defense."

The panel discussion featured Lee Gye-gwang, chief executive of Seongjin Techwin and chairman of the Daejeon Defense Industry Business Cooperative; Jang Won-jun, a professor at Jeonbuk National University; Kang Hwan-seok, a former vice minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA); Cho Yeong-seok, a research fellow at LIG D&A; Seok Jae-wang, chairman of the Korea Defense Semiconductor Association; Shim Sun-hyeong, head of the defense industry research team at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade; and Lee Chun-beom, vice chairman of the Chungcheong Regional-Led Growth Forum. Participants reviewed Daejeon's defense industry competitiveness and discussed ways to foster cooperation between anchor companies and local small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as strategies for building a multilayered support system spanning testing, evaluation, demonstration and commercialization.

Daejeon is home to key military institutions including DAPA, the Army Training and Doctrine Command and the Army Logistics Command, as well as major research and development bodies such as the Agency for Defense Development, KAIST, Chungnam National University, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, alongside leading defense companies.

Building on these strengths, Daejeon plans to develop the specialized complex so that local partner companies can commercialize technologies from government-funded research institutes and link the resulting products to anchor companies' production systems — creating a self-contained regional supply chain.

"Daejeon is South Korea's leading innovation city, where defense capabilities and scientific expertise converge, making it the optimal base for translating advanced technology into industrial results," Vice Mayor Ji said. "We will unite the strength of local businesses and the political community to secure the specialized defense materials and components complex designation, and use that as a springboard to make Daejeon the center of South Korea's advanced defense industry."