Daejeon City, Daedeok-gu District, and Hannam University Sign Tripartite MOU to Operate Industry-Academia-Research Innovation Ecosystem

The Daejeon Institute of Science and Technology for Enterprise Promotion (DISTEP) is preparing for its full-scale relocation to Hannam University's Campus Innovation Park in Daejeon's original downtown area. Daejeon Metropolitan City is accelerating its efforts to secure a bridgehead for regional innovation growth that connects Daedeok Innopolis and the original downtown.

On April 28th, Daejeon City signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Daedeok-gu District and Hannam University in the city hall reception room. The aim is to promote industry-academia-research cooperation and revitalize the industrial ecosystem following DISTEP's relocation.

This agreement is a follow-up measure to the DISTEP relocation plan announced in early April. It focuses on establishing a practical cooperation system that organically links Daedeok Innopolis and the original downtown, going beyond a simple institutional move.

DISTEP will be located on the 5th floor of Building A in Hannam University's Campus Innovation Park (total of 7 rooms, 1,011㎡). Forty-nine employees are expected to work there. Internal construction work, including telecommunications, fire safety, and electrical systems, as well as interior finishing, will be completed by the end of May, with official operations commencing in early June.

According to the MOU, Daejeon City will support the discovery of creative and convergent talents and the activation of deep-tech startups based on the science and technology industry. It will also play a leading role in creating industry-academia-research networking.

Daedeok-gu District will strive to create a leading model for industrial innovation and promote local economic revitalization through attracting and supporting business relocation.

Hannam University will serve as a key hub for fostering local industry and talent through entrepreneurship education, technology commercialization promotion, and internships.

DISTEP is expected to become a strategic hub connecting the innovation resources of Daedeok Innopolis and the growth potential of the original downtown area, ultimately establishing itself as a central pillar of Daejeon's industrial innovation ecosystem.

Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo stated, "This relocation is not only a spatial expansion of science and technology industry promotion but also a symbolic starting point for the transformation of Daejeon's industrial innovation structure. We expect DISTEP to become a base that brings about practical changes in the local economy."