Nowon-gu District Mayor Seo Jun-oh hosted the first S-DBC Nowon Forum at Nowon-gu Office on Wednesday afternoon.
S-DBC, short for Seoul Digital Bio City, is a biotech-centered development project spanning roughly 250,000 square meters across the Changdong rail depot and Dobong driver's license testing site — a long-awaited effort to establish a future industry hub in the area. The district prepared the forum to ensure the project moves forward with strong momentum ahead of the planned demolition of the rail depot in 2027, recognizing that a thriving biotech ecosystem depends on sustained innovation and high-value output generated through networks linking universities, research institutions and companies.
The forum brought together Nowon-gu officials — including the district mayor and the head of the urban planning bureau — alongside five universities: Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Kyung Hee University, Kwangwoon University, Sahmyook University and Seoul Women's University. Four companies also participated — Huinno, VS Pharmtech, Xenostem and KSB Tugen — as did affiliated organizations including Seoul Technopark and the Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization.
District Mayor Seo opened the forum with a keynote address, followed by an introduction to the S-DBC project and a panel discussion. Participants from industry and academia shared case studies and proposals as the forum deliberated on strategies for building an industry-academia-research ecosystem around S-DBC.
After the scheduled discussion, attendees took part in a networking session. Seo listened directly to opinions from university and corporate representatives.
"S-DBC is a core project that will open the next 100 years for Nowon, and at the same time a new opportunity for the K-Bio industry," Seo said. "We will strengthen our capabilities through regular forums and networks, and give concrete shape to a Nowon-style industry-academia-research cooperation model."
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