Article body
Three flagship regional national universities — Chonnam National University, Chungnam National University and Pusan National University — were selected by the Education Ministry on Tuesday for concentrated government funding of up to 100 billion won ($72 million) each.
The funding will be provided over the next five years under a scaled-back version of President Lee Jae Myung's signature "10 Seoul National Universities" initiative. The three universities will receive comprehensive financial support for education and research in industries designated as regional growth engines under the government's "5 Poles, 3 Special Zones" development strategy.
The initiative stems from one of Lee's biggest education pledges during the 2025 presidential election campaign. The Education Ministry announced in April that it would modify the original approach and initially concentrate additional resources on three universities following consultations across government agencies.
Pusan National University was selected for its plan to establish a new college covering key growth industries in southeastern Korea, including shipbuilding and marine engineering, mechanical systems and aerospace. Chonnam National University plans to establish a new college focused on advanced semiconductors and future energy while expanding courses involving corporate participation.
Chungnam National University's plan centers on establishing the Nexus College of Science and Technology and creating a joint education and research system with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. With substantial public funding going to the three institutions, the ministry said it would establish a separate performance management committee to monitor implementation.