Jeonbuk Alumni Association Slams Mega-Project Exclusion as Setback for Balanced Development

The South Korean government's recent announcement of its '3 Great Mega Projects' has ignited strong criticism from the Jeonbuk region, which feels effectively excluded from the initiative. The Jeonbuk National University Alumni Association has joined local politicians and the provincial council in condemning the decision, labeling it a regression in balanced national development.

“

The mega-projects are crucial national policies that determine South Korea's future growth axis beyond specific regional interests.

In a statement, the alumni association emphasized that these mega-projects are crucial national policies shaping South Korea's future growth, not merely regional interests. They expressed dismay that Jeonbuk has been relegated to the periphery, excluded from the core of these development plans. The government's proposed projects focus on a semiconductor cluster in the southwestern region, a packaging hub in Chungcheong, and an AI center in Yeongnam.

“

Jeonbuk has once again been pushed to the periphery, excluded from the core.

The association argued that Jeonbuk's exclusion is not just about regional representation. They highlighted the region's potential, citing its possession of Saemangeum and its capacity to link with emerging industries such as agriculture, future mobility, defense, and new energy. Excluding or deprioritizing Jeonbuk, they stated, obstructs the region's future prospects. As a national flagship university, Jeonbuk University also plays a vital role in regional innovation and industrial transition, and its diminished role could weaken the region's growth engine.

“

Excluding or placing Jeonbuk, which has the potential for expansion linked to new energy and defense industries, in a lower priority is a decision that blocks the region's future.