A mega-regional cooperation hub has been set up to nurture information security companies and specialist talent in Sejong, Daejeon, North Chungcheong and South Chungcheong.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) on July 27 held an opening ceremony in Sejong, together with local governments and related organisations, for the Chungcheong Information Security Cluster.

Regional hub information security clusters help spread information security companies, specialist talent and infrastructure concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area to other regions. They support co-growth of regional strategic industries and the information security industry.

The ministry created the first cluster in 2023 in the southeast region spanning Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang. Through a public contest last year, it selected a consortium of Sejong, Daejeon, North Chungcheong and South Chungcheong as the operator of the second cluster and built related facilities.

The cluster will build a foundation for growth of the regional information security industry through programmes that foster information security firms, train specialist talent, conduct technology demonstrations and support commercialisation. It will also connect local companies, universities and research institutes to build an ecosystem in which technology development and demonstrations and talent training form a virtuous cycle.

The Chungcheong Information Security Cluster includes space for tenant companies, a security testbed and a hands-on cyber training facility. It will be operated in connection with regional strategic industries such as Sejong's smart city, Daejeon's smart defence, North Chungcheong's converged bio and South Chungcheong's mobility.

Those attending the opening ceremony included Lim Jeong-gyu (임정규), director-general for information security and network policy at the ministry, Cho Sang-ho (조상호), vice mayor of Sejong Special Self-Governing City, Ahn Shin-il (안신일), speaker of the Sejong Special Self-Governing City Council, Lee Sang-jung (이상중), head of KISA, and representatives of information security companies.

Along with the cluster opening, the Sejong Information Security Support Center will also begin operations. The center will support local small and medium-sized companies with tailored information security consulting, web vulnerability checks and cloud-based security services.

Second Vice Minister of Science and ICT Ryu Je-myeong (류제명) said, "In the AI era, information security is a core foundation that underpins the competitiveness of regional strategic industries." He added, "I hope the Chungcheong Information Security Cluster will establish itself as a hub that leads co-growth of regional strategic industries and the information security industry."