The Gochang Campus of Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), which will serve as a training ground for outstanding talent in the Gochang area, held an opening ceremony at the Engineering Building at 11:00 a.m. on March 13 (Tuesday).

At the ceremony, some 250 people attended, including President Seo Geo-seok; Gochang County Governor Lee Gang-su; JBNU headquarters officials including Executive Vice‑President Shin Hyo-geun; members of the Academic Affairs Council; student representatives of the JBNU Student Council; National Assembly member Kim Chun-jin; County Council Chair Lee Man-woo; heads of agencies and organizations; and residents of Gochang County. A plaque unveiling and a commemorative tree-planting ceremony were held alongside the opening ceremony.

The Gochang Campus is a specialized campus dedicated to training skilled professionals for local residents. JBNU received the Gochang Campus, which it acquired from the Korea Polytechnics Foundation, free of charge.

JBNU and Gochang County signed an agreement in 2009 on the operation of the Gochang Campus and completed the property transfer registration last year, formally establishing it as the Gochang Campus.

The Gochang Campus launched a bachelor's degree program for re-educating local residents, the "Agricultural and Life Sciences" program, on March 5. On March 12, it opened the "Timber Construction Professional Training Program," which received KRW 8.4 billion in funding from the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs in 2010. These initiatives have set in motion full-scale efforts to develop local talent and conduct research on new technologies.

In addition, the Gochang Campus plans to operate non-degree lifelong education programs for local residents, such as various certificate courses, to assist local employment, and to run specialized projects, including local tourism products, through mutual cooperation.

Moreover, JBNU will utilize the Gochang Campus facilities to operate childcare facilities, a children's library, and a child and family counseling center, transforming the campus into a space for local residents. Career camps for enrolled students will also be held here.

In his opening remarks, President Seo Geo-seok said, "I am deeply honored that we are opening another campus in Gochang, a place renowned for its brilliant cultural heritage, beautiful natural environment, and generous hospitality. I am convinced that the opening of the Gochang Campus will be an essential foundation for the mutually beneficial development of JBNU and Gochang County, and I ask for continued affection and support."

In his congratulatory remarks, Gochang County Governor Lee Gang-su said, "We will spare no support or cooperation to make the Gochang Campus a place of learning for county residents and a hub for training technical personnel in the Honam region. We will do our best to build Gochang into an educational city and a prosperous community."