A research team led by Prof. Lee Je-chan (Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering at Ajou University) will take part in the Regional Balance New Deal Project under the Korean Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS). This project selects promising projects planned by 243 local autonomous regions nationwide for sponsorship.

MOIS will select a total of 15 projects for financial incentives, which will be chosen upon document screening, a nationwide vote, and presentations. The total grant amount is KRW 30 billion.

Prof. Lee’s research team (photo) will take part in the “Kenaf-based Green Bioplastic Development and Industrialization Project” under the Jeollabuk-do provincial government. This project is associated with the Green New Deal (one of Korea’s New Deal Policies for a carbon-free society) and aims to construct a system that covers all periods in the production of bioplastics using non-edible crops. The project period is two years and six months and carries total projected operating expenses of KRW 4.2 billion.

The cycle for bioplastic production using non-edible crops includes the procurement of self-sufficient materials, development of technology to produce bioplastic materials, verification of environmental impact, and industrialization. The project will be managed by Jeonbuk National University and joined by the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, Jeonbuk Agricultural Research & Extension Services, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Jeonbuk, Movic Advanced Material Technology, and Ilshin Chemical. Prof. Lee’s research team will be responsible for developing technology to produce bioplastic monomers using material preparation byproducts.

“We expect to reach domestic self-sufficiency in bioplastics—an area previously dependent on imports—and develop related technology through this project,” said Prof. Lee. “It will vitalize domestic bioplastic industries, secure price competitiveness in green plastic, and contribute to building a green carbon-free society.”

A total of 15 notable projects were selected for participation in the MIS Regional Balance New Deal Project, including Construction of a Green Fiber Platform Using Recycled PET Bottles (Daegu Metropolitan City), Construction of Smart Mobility Empirical Hub (Gyeonggi-do), Construction of Precision Medicine Big Data Service Platform (Gangwon-do), and Smart Medicine Platform Pilot Model Project (Chungcheongbuk-do).