Gyeongsangbuk-do is strengthening its cooperation in the advanced regenerative medicine industry with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) in the United States and the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT) in Germany.

The provincial government held working consultations with the two institutions on November 11 and 12. It convened a steering committee to discuss the establishment of the "WFIRM Korea Branch" with WFIRM, and discussed business promotion directions within Gyeongsangbuk-do with IBMT.

On November 11, the steering committee meeting held at the conference room of the Gyeongbuk Bio Industry Research Institute was attended by officials from the provincial Bio Industry Division, James Yoo, Deputy Director of WFIRM, and Cho In-ho, President of the Gyeongbuk Bio Industry Research Institute.

During the meeting, participants shared the operational report of the Advanced Regenerative Medicine Industry Promotion Office—which was launched last March—along with the results of a research service project for establishing the WFIRM Korea Foundation. They also discussed procedures for setting up the Korean corporation and strategies for joint research and development (R&D) to secure core intellectual property (IP) rights.

On November 12, at the Stanford Hotel Andong, Yang Geum-hee, Vice Governor for Economic Affairs of Gyeongsangbuk-do, met with James Yoo, Deputy Director of WFIRM, and Heiko Zimmermann, Director of IBMT, to share global regenerative medicine technology trends and discuss future business directions with the province.

Deputy Director James Yoo and Director Heiko Zimmermann visited South Korea to attend the "2026 Outstanding Researcher Exchange Support Technology Exchange Event (Brain Link)."

"For the successful settlement of the advanced regenerative medicine industry that Gyeongsangbuk-do is intensively fostering, active support and cooperation from the world's top research institutions are essential," said Vice Governor Yang Geum-hee. "Using this consultation as a stepping stone, we will do our utmost to secure future growth engines for the bioindustry."

Building on these consultations, the province plans to push forward with the establishment of the WFIRM Korea Branch and joint R&D to secure core intellectual property rights. It will also expand cooperation with American and German research institutes to strengthen the foundation for fostering the advanced regenerative medicine industry.

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