Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) has been selected for the "Campus Innovation Park" project, which will enable the university to serve as a platform for regional development by establishing an on‑campus high‑tech industrial complex.

This project is a joint competition organized by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. It converts university idle land into an urban high‑tech industrial complex, provides facilities for corporate relocation, start‑up support, housing and cultural services, and integrates government programs to establish a regional innovation ecosystem.

A total of 17 universities submitted proposals; amid 8.5-to-1 competition, JBNU and Changwon National University were selected.

Accordingly, JBNU plans to implement the project in three phases from this year to 2030 on a site of 36,580㎡ around the old main gate and the indoor gymnasium (Phase 1: 25,516㎡; Phase 2: 3,537㎡; Phase 3: 7,527㎡), with a total project budget of KRW 111 billion.

The Phase 1 project starting this year is the construction of the Industry–University–Research Innovation Hub (total floor area 22,300㎡). Targeting occupancy in 2026, the project will invest KRW 51 billion (national government KRW 19 billion, provincial KRW 4 billion, municipal KRW 4 billion, LH KRW 24 billion) to create mixed‑use spaces—company offices, research institutes, and a corporate support center—centering on cultural content, ICT, and bio‑convergence.

Phase 1 will be developed in connection with Jeonju City's Urban Regeneration New Deal project (I‑TOWN), which aims to establish a foundation for metaverse‑centered advanced digital cultural content industries. It is expected to serve as a hub for fostering future industries and driving regional development.

Administrative procedures to develop the industrial park plan will begin this month. The plan is expected to be completed in the second half of next year and designated as an urban high‑tech industrial complex. Construction of the Industry–University–Research Innovation Hub will then begin, with completion and occupancy targeted for 2026.

In this regard, Vice Governor Shin Won‑sik of North Jeolla Province and Mayor Kim Seung‑su of Jeonju directly participated in on‑site inspections and the comprehensive evaluation. In particular, Mayor Kim directly briefed on strategies to link Jeonju City's Urban Regeneration New Deal project with the Campus Innovation Park, demonstrating the local government's strong commitment to align the project with the region's core industries. This active engagement by local authorities raises expectations for more integrated project implementation.

Project Director Jo Gi‑hwan, Executive Vice‑President of Research (Vice‑President of Industry‑University Cooperation), and Task Force Director Hong Cheol‑un, Director of the Industry‑University Cooperation Office, stated, "We will do our utmost to closely cooperate with central ministries and local governments in developing the industrial park plan and constructing the Industry–University–Research Innovation Hub so that project outcomes can be realized at an early stage."

Meanwhile, since the Campus Innovation Park plan was announced in 2019, five universities were selected as project sites through competitions held that year and last year. Through this year's third round of competition, JBNU and others were selected.