(SEJONG=NEWSIS)The government will proactively support regional projects through creative economy innovation centers, 17 of which will be established by 2015.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE) announced December 26 that they discussed measures to support regional projects to boost the creative economy at the second operating committee for a creative economy innovation center.

The government will ensure that the center and regional companies conduct a joint demand survey and implement a plan to promote a regional creative economy, in addition to the regional industrial promotion plan established annually by each city and province.

The government will also operate a fast-track program that swiftly supports mature industrial ideas and business models through the creative economy innovation center. MOTIE plans to invest KRW 15.6 billion in the program.

The government will first select tasks that require research and development (R&D) for commercialization and then promote them as tasks for creative convergence R&D.

"We will be able to show the projects’ effectiveness and their results through detailed business agreements between relevant regional organizations including the creative economy innovation center and technopark," said a MOTIE official.

oj1001@newsis.com