The Daejeon and Daedeok Innopolis R&D ecosystem
Daejeon and Daedeok Innopolis is ranked number 27 of 392 R&D ecosystems in the 311 Institute directory, with 69 labs within about 120 kilometres: 32 research institutes, 25 government, 8 corporate, 2 military and 2 university. Leading organisations include South Korea government, National Research Council of Science and Technology, National Research Council for Economics Humanities and Social Science and Ministry of Science and ICT, focused on electrical and electronic engineering, biomedical engineering, plant science and food science.
Part of the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory. Compiled by Matthew Griffin. Last updated .
Why these labs matter
All 69 labs
| Lab and organisation | Location | Type and sector | Focus | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Biomass R&D Center (South Korea)Advanced Biomass R&D Center (South Korea) | Daejeon, South Korea | Corporate Energy and resources | Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Molecular Biology, Environmental Chemistry | |
| Hyundai Uiwang R&D CenterHyundai Motor Group | Uiwang, South Korea | Corporate Automotive and mobility | Hydrogen, EVs | |
| Namyang R&D CenterHyundai Motor Group | Hwaseong, South Korea | Corporate Automotive and mobility | Electrification, Hydrogen, Robotics | |
| LG Energy Solution R&DLG | Daejeon, South Korea | Corporate Energy and resources | Batteries | |
| Naver Cloud AINaver | Seongnam, South Korea | Corporate Technology | LLMs, Search | 1999 |
| Samsung Advanced Institute of TechnologySamsung | Suwon, South Korea | Corporate Technology | Semiconductors, AI, Materials | 1987 |
| Samsung Semiconductor R&D (Giheung)Samsung | Yongin, South Korea | Corporate Technology | Chips | |
| SK hynix R&DSK hynix | Icheon, South Korea | Corporate Technology | Memory, HBM | 1983 |
| Ministry of Science and ICTGovernment of the Republic of Korea | Sejong, South Korea | Government Industrials and manufacturing | Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering | 2017 |
| Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean EngineeringKorea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering | Yuseong-gu, South Korea | Government Environment and climate | Ocean Engineering, Computational Mechanics, Oceanography | 1973 |
| Marine Biodiversity Institute of KoreaMarine Biodiversity Institute of Korea | Sejong, South Korea | Government Environment and climate | Oceanography, Ecology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics | |
| Korea National Institute of HealthMinistry of Health and Welfare | Cheongju-si, South Korea | Government Healthcare and life sciences | Genetics, Molecular Medicine, Infectious Diseases | 1963 |
| Institute of JusticeMinistry of Justice | Chinch'ŏn, South Korea | Government Social sciences and humanities | Law, Computer Networks and Communications, Sociology and Political Science | 1950 |
| Korea Transport InstituteMinistry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport | Sejong, South Korea | Government Industrials and manufacturing | Transportation, Control and Systems Engineering, Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality | 1986 |
| National Research Council of Science and TechnologyMinistry of Science and ICT | Sejong, South Korea | Government Multidisciplinary research | Nutrition and Dietetics, Biomedical Engineering, Information Systems and Management | 2014 |
| National Research Foundation of KoreaMinistry of Science and ICT | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Healthcare and life sciences | Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty, Surgery, Information Systems and Management | 1977 |
| National Institute of EcologyNational Institute of Ecology | Wondosam, South Korea | Government Agriculture and food | Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Genetics, Oceanography | 2013 |
| Korea Information Society Development InstituteNational Research Council for Economics Humanities and Social Science | Chinch'ŏn, South Korea | Government Public policy and analysis | Media Technology, Economics and Econometrics, Information Systems and Management | 1985 |
| Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and TrainingNational Research Council for Economics Humanities and Social Science | Sejong, South Korea | Government Social sciences and humanities | Economics and Econometrics, Political Science and International Relations, Education | 1997 |
| National Security Research InstituteNational Research Council of Science and Technology | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Technology | Computer Networks and Communications, Artificial Intelligence, Information Systems | 2000 |
| Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Telecommunications | 6G, AI, Semiconductors | 1976 |
| Institute for Basic Science (IBS)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Basic science | Basic science | 2011 |
| Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Aerospace, defence and space | Space, Aeronautics | 1989 |
| Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Basic science | Astronomy | 1974 |
| Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Energy and resources | Nuclear, SMRs | 1959 |
| Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Energy and resources | Hydrogen, Solar | 1977 |
| Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KSTAR)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Energy and resources | Fusion | 2005 |
| Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Energy and resources | Minerals, Geoscience | 1918 |
| Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH)South Korea government | Cheonan, South Korea | Government Industrials and manufacturing | Manufacturing | 1989 |
| Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Industrials and manufacturing | Machinery, Robotics | 1976 |
| Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Healthcare and life sciences | Biotech | 1985 |
| Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Chemicals and materials | Chemistry, Drug discovery | 1976 |
| Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Government Technology | Metrology, Quantum | 1975 |
| Institute of Civil-Military Technology CooperationInstitute of Civil-Military Technology Cooperation | Yuseong-gu, South Korea | Military Aerospace and defence | Water Science and Technology, Biomedical Engineering, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health | |
| Agency for Defense Development (ADD)South Korea government | Daejeon, South Korea | Military Aerospace, defence and space | Defence, Missiles | 1970 |
| Advanced Institute of Convergence TechnologySeoul National University | Suwon, South Korea | University Industrials and manufacturing | Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Radiation | 2005 |
| KAISTUniversities in South Korea | Daejeon, South Korea | University Multidisciplinary research | AI, Robotics, Semiconductors | 1971 |
| Gyeonggi Research InstituteGyeonggi Research Institute | Suwon, South Korea | Research institute Social sciences and humanities | Transportation, Food Science, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law | 1995 |
| Gyeonggido Business and Science AcceleratorGyeonggido Business and Science Accelerator | Suwon, South Korea | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Plant Science, Molecular Biology, Complementary and alternative medicine | 1997 |
| National NanoFab CenterKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Materials Chemistry | |
| Korea Automotive Technology InstituteKorea Automotive Technology Institute | Cheonan, South Korea | Research institute Automotive and mobility | Automotive Engineering, Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes, Electrical and Electronic Engineering | 1990 |
| Korea Centre for Atmospheric Environment ResearchKorea Centre for Atmospheric Environment Research | Cheongju-si, South Korea | Research institute Environment and climate | Global and Planetary Change, Atmospheric Science, Earth-Surface Processes | 1993 |
| Korea Electric Power Research InstituteKorea Electric Power Corporation (South Korea) | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Materials Chemistry | |
| Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Central Research InstituteKorea Hydro and Nuclear Power (Korea) | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Chemistry | 2011 |
| Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and TechnologyKorea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology | Cheonan, South Korea | Research institute Chemicals and materials | Ceramics and Composites, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Materials Chemistry | 2007 |
| Korea Institute of Nuclear SafetyKorea Institute of Nuclear Safety | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, Aerospace Engineering, Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty | 1981 |
| KISTI National Supercomputing CenterKorea Institute of Science & Technology Information | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Technology | Computer Networks and Communications, Hardware and Architecture, Information Systems | |
| Korea Institute of ToxicologyKorea Institute of Toxicology | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Immunology, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, Cancer Research | 2002 |
| Land and Housing InstituteKorea Land and Housing Corporation (South Korea) | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Environmental Engineering, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law, Biomedical Engineering | 1962 |
| National Meteorological Satellite CenterKorea Meteorological Administration | Chinch'ŏn, South Korea | Research institute Environment and climate | Global and Planetary Change, Atmospheric Science, Aerospace Engineering | 2009 |
| Korea Bioinformation CenterKorea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Molecular Biology, Plant Science, Materials Chemistry | 2001 |
| Korean Institute of TuberculosisKorean Institute of Tuberculosis | Cheongju-si, South Korea | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, Surgery | 1970 |
| National Agricultural Products Quality Management ServiceMinistry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs | Gimcheon, South Korea | Research institute Agriculture and food | Food Science, Analytical Chemistry, Pollution | 1999 |
| Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological ResourcesMinistry of Environment | Sangju-si, South Korea | Research institute Multidisciplinary research | Molecular Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Oceanography | 2015 |
| National Institute of Chemical SafetyMinistry of Environment | Cheongju-si, South Korea | Research institute Multidisciplinary research | Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty, Chemical Health and Safety, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis | 2014 |
| National Institute of Food and Drug Safety EvaluationMinistry of Food and Drug Safety | Cheongju-si, South Korea | Research institute Agriculture and food | Food Science, Analytical Chemistry, Toxicology | 1987 |
| Korea Carbon Capture & Sequestration R&D CenterMinistry of Science and ICT | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Chemicals and materials | Mechanical Engineering, Organic Chemistry, Process Chemistry and Technology | 2011 |
| National Academy of Agricultural ScienceNational Academy of Agricultural Science | Wanju, South Korea | Research institute Agriculture and food | Food Science, Plant Science, Cell Biology | 1962 |
| National Institute of Animal ScienceNational Institute of Animal Science | Wanju, South Korea | Research institute Agriculture and food | Genetics, Animal Science and Zoology, Agronomy and Crop Science | 1906 |
| Korea Institute for Health and Social AffairsNational Research Council for Economics Humanities and Social Science | Sejong, South Korea | Research institute Social sciences and humanities | Health, Economics and Econometrics, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health | 1970 |
| Korea Institute of Public FinanceNational Research Council for Economics Humanities and Social Science | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Public policy and analysis | Economics and Econometrics, Political Science and International Relations, Public Administration | 1992 |
| Science and Technology Policy InstituteNational Research Council for Economics Humanities and Social Science | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Public policy and analysis | Information Systems and Management, Economics and Econometrics, Political Science and International Relations | 1999 |
| Korea Basic Science InstituteNational Research Council of Science and Technology | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Energy and resources | Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Geophysics, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment | 1988 |
| Korea Food Research InstituteNational Research Council of Science and Technology | Wanju, South Korea | Research institute Agriculture and food | Food Science, Animal Science and Zoology, Biochemistry | 1987 |
| Korea Institute of Oriental MedicineNational Research Council of Science and Technology | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Complementary and alternative medicine, Plant Science | 1994 |
| Korea Institute of Science & Technology InformationNational Research Council of Science and Technology | Daejeon, South Korea | Research institute Nuclear | Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Computer Networks and Communications, Information Systems | 1962 |
| Korea Railroad Research InstituteNational Research Council of Science and Technology | Uiwang, South Korea | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Mechanical Engineering, Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering | 1996 |
| National Institute of Crop ScienceRural Development Administration | Wanju, South Korea | Research institute Agriculture and food | Plant Science, Genetics, Nutrition and Dietetics | 2008 |
| National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal ScienceRural Development Administration | Wanju, South Korea | Research institute Agriculture and food | Plant Science, Cell Biology, Soil Science |
Countries
Organisations
- Hyundai Motor Group
- LG
- Ministry of Science and ICT
- National Research Council for Economics Humanities and Social Science
- National Research Council of Science and Technology
- Samsung
- South Korea government
Other leading ecosystems
- Paris and Saclay
- Beijing and Tianjin
- Washington DC and Maryland
- Greater Tokyo and Tsukuba
- Moscow
- Grenoble
- London and the Golden Triangle
- Greater Bay Area (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong)
- Shanghai and Suzhou
- Provence (ITER and Cadarache)
- Silicon Valley and the Bay Area
- Singapore
- Zurich, Basel and Aargau
- Randstad (Amsterdam, Delft, Leiden)
- Stuttgart and Karlsruhe
Questions and answers
How big is the Daejeon and Daedeok Innopolis R&D ecosystem?
It has 69 labs from 41 organisations, ranking number 27 worldwide in the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory.
Which organisations have labs in Daejeon and Daedeok Innopolis?
They include South Korea government, National Research Council of Science and Technology, National Research Council for Economics Humanities and Social Science and Ministry of Science and ICT.
What does the Daejeon and Daedeok Innopolis ecosystem specialise in?
Its main focus areas are electrical and electronic engineering, biomedical engineering, plant science and food science.
© 311 Institute 2015–2026. This directory is the proprietary work of the 311 Institute, protected by copyright and database rights. Copying, scraping or republishing any substantial part without written permission is prohibited.