[DigitalToday reporter Jin-ho Lee (이진호)] The Ministry of Science and ICT said on March 18 it will hold a public hearing on the fifth comprehensive plan to foster research and development special zones on the afternoon of March 19 at the Intercity Hotel in Daejeon.

The fifth comprehensive plan is a statutory plan 추진 based on the Special Act on the Fostering of Research and Development Special Zones. It sets mid- to long-term policy goals and directions for the growth of the research and development special zones, South Korea's representative industry-academia-research cluster.

The ministry formed a planning committee in March last year with participation from industry, academia and research experts. It identified various tasks including support across the full cycle of commercialization of research outcomes, upgrading the talent-startup and commercialization-company growth ecosystem, and innovation-led growth of the research and development special zones.

At the hearing, the ministry will explain the comprehensive plan, followed by a panel discussion involving representative experts from industry, academia and research. It will also hold an audience opinion session and a question-and-answer segment. It will gather views not only from attendees on site but also from the public through a live broadcast on the official YouTube channel of the Korea Innovation Foundation for R&D Special Zones.

The ministry plans to revise the draft plan by reflecting opinions presented at the hearing. It then plans to collect views from relevant ministries and finalize the plan through deliberation and a resolution by the Committee on Research and Development Special Zones in April.