Examining Korea's international science and business belt project through an evolutionary economic geography lens
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Examining Korea’s international science and business belt project through an evolutionary economic geography lens Douglas R. Gress
Received: 14 December 2018 / Revised: 18 April 2019 / Accepted: 16 May 2019 Springer Nature B.V. 2019
Abstract In February of 2008, South Korea began planning a massive, multi-regional project, the International Science and Business Belt (ISBB) and Institute for Basic Science (IBS) that formally opened in mid-2018. This article examines the genesis of the ISBB/IBS vis-a`-vis contemporary advances in Evolutionary Economic Geography (EEG) theory. Facets of EEG such as scale, government, and policy; the potential for non-firm organizations to contribute to innovation; and the importance of related and nonrelated variety help to assess current progress and future areas of potential as well as concern. Possible limitations to EEG theorizing along with corresponding suggestions for future inclusion are ventured. It is shown that Korea has a resiliency agenda spurred on by anticipatory need motivated by a steady deterioration of the country’s technology trade balance. In terms of policy, Korea is pursuing a devolution of power from the state to the regional level while deploying a revolutionary type policy with evolutionary characteristics. Spinoffs are envisioned from basic science research institutes. EEG should more firmly embrace this possibility, along with the fact that innovation policy potential may be bifurcated or
D. R. Gress (&) Economic Geography, Department of Geography Education, College of Education, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-Ro, Gwanak-Gu, Seoul 08826, Korea e-mail: [email protected]
multi-faceted depending on place-based realities. Possible applications for other NICs seeking to reposition their own economies are forwarded. Keywords Evolutionary economic geography Innovation policy Institutions International science and business belt Korea
Introduction In February of 2008, South Korea began planning for its new International Science and Business Belt (ISBB), a massive project, formally opened in April of 2018, that includes the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and the construction of a Rare Isotope Accelerator (RAON). With a research budget approaching USD 630 million per year, these combined facilities (to include the RAON) are designed to support basic research ranging in scale from the very large and group based, to the medium and team based, to the individual level, all while promoting cooperation and collaboration at the global scale (ISBB Forum 2013)1 with the
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The ISBB Forum was held at the JW Marriott Hotel, Seoul, Korea, on 28 May, 2013. The event included speakers from some of the world’s premier technology generating hubs in addition to an informative session about the ISBB/IBS conducted by leading Korea-based scientists and government officials.
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ultimate goal of commercializing innovation domestically. The purpose of this article is to examine the genesis of the ISBB/IBS
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