DAEGU < invest Korea

According to Yonhap News,

(Daegu = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Kang-il – Daegu City announced on the 6th that the Kyungpook National University (KNU) consortium was finally selected for the "AI x Bio Innovation Research Hub Establishment Pilot Project" promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, securing KRW 49.1 billion in national funds.

The KNU consortium includes Kyungpook National University, Daegu City, Kyungpook National University Hospital, the Daegu Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (K-MEDI HUB), and Uniba.

The AI x Bio Innovation Research Hub Establishment Pilot Project is designed to seize leadership in the "AI drug discovery" sector and is one of the government's "15 Ultra-Innovation Economy Projects." From this year until 2030, the Ministry of Science and ICT, along with the city, will invest KRW 54 billion to establish an innovation hub in Daegu that encompasses the entire lifecycle of the AI drug discovery ecosystem.

The project focuses on the following core initiatives:
- Establishing ultra-high-speed computer infrastructure.
- Building a 'Lab-in-the-loop' system to implement laboratory automation.
- Developing specialized AI foundation models for drug discovery.
- Cultivating AI and bio convergence talent.

Kyungpook National University, the lead institution, will mobilize the research capabilities of the national flagship university to focus on cultivating 'ambidextrous' convergence talent bridging the fields of AI and bio. The university plans to produce approximately 50 convergence professionals during the project period, while concurrently offering AI education specialized for regional industries.

A Daegu City official stated, "Taking the establishment of this hub as a stepping stone, we will accelerate our efforts to attract large multinational pharmaceutical companies, establishing a foothold for Daegu to leap forward as a data-driven digital bio hub city."

leeki@yna.co.kr



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Source Text

Source: Yonhap News (May 06, 2026)

** This article was translated from Korean.