DAEJEON – Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo is embarking on a visit to Quebec, Canada, and Boston, USA, from June 10 to 18, to expand global cooperation in Daejeon's strategic industries, including aerospace, bio, semiconductors, and quantum technologies. This overseas trip is part of Daejeon City's strategic urban diplomacy aimed at securing future growth engines, with a strong focus on achieving tangible results.

Quebec, Canada: Opening New Horizons for Research and Innovation Cooperation

Mayor Lee's delegation for this trip includes an economic mission composed of promising business leaders in various scientific fields, a quantum mission with researchers from the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), as well as representatives from Hanbat National University and Daejeon Technopark.

Quebec, with its strong autonomy and robust financial and administrative capabilities, is a leading innovation hub in North America. It boasts systematically established science and industry clusters in aerospace, quantum, and bio sectors across cities like Montreal and Sherbrooke.

As the first official engagement of the trip, Mayor Lee held a meeting with aerospace industry organizations and companies in Montreal. This meeting facilitated B2B exchanges and industrial information sharing, laying the groundwork for future joint projects.

Following this, Mayor Lee was specially invited to attend the Montreal Conference, a prominent North American policy forum. During his attendance, he signed a research and innovation cooperation agreement with the Quebec Minister of Economy. Furthermore, Mayor Lee participated as a specially invited speaker in a conference session to discuss urban development strategies. In the afternoon, he visited a bio cluster, organizing an exchange event between bio companies from both regions to concretize possibilities for technological collaboration.

Notably, on June 12, Mayor Lee visited the semiconductor cluster in Bromont, Quebec, for an industrial meeting. In the afternoon, he attended the 'Daejeon-Quebec Quantum Industry International Cooperation Forum,' hosted by KRISS, at the Sherbrooke quantum cluster. During this forum, a Daejeon-Quebec quantum industry cooperation agreement was signed, involving KRISS, KAIST, and Daejeon Technopark, which is expected to significantly enhance quantum industry cooperation between the two regions.

On June 13, Mayor Lee had a joint luncheon with the Quebec Ministry of International Relations and the Ministry of Economy, Science and Innovation in Quebec City. They also discussed Quebec's potential membership in the Global Innovation Network of Industries (GINI), fostering extensive discussions on scientific and economic cooperation.

Exploring Expanded Bio Industry Cooperation in Boston, USA

Over the weekend, Mayor Lee will travel to Boston, USA, to participate in BIO USA, the world's largest bio exhibition, starting on June 16. On-site, Mayor Lee plans to visit the booths of Daejeon's bio companies to encourage their participation. He will also meet with the Montgomery County Executive and other key figures in the bio industry to discuss avenues for inter-governmental cooperation in the bio sector.

Regarding the trip, Mayor Lee stated, “Quebec and Boston are leading science and technology hubs in Canada and the United States, respectively. This visit will serve as a crucial stepping stone for Daejeon's future industries to leap into the global market.” He further emphasized, “Through industry-focused strategic urban diplomacy, we will continue to expand international cooperation that fosters corporate growth and directly benefits our citizens.”