“Lighting Up Ulsan’s Future with Startups!”

On the 16th, the “Ulsan Startup ON Meeting” Was Held.

Discussing ways to vitalize the startup ecosystem with about 100 young entrepreneurs.

Ulsan Metropolitan City announced that it will hold the “Ulsan Startup ON Meeting” to discuss ways to vitalize the startup ecosystem with young entrepreneurs in Ulsan.

The event, held at 3 PM on March 16 at Undang Hall on the 4th floor of the Jongha Innovation Center, will be attended by Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom and about 100 startup entrepreneurs in the Ulsan region.

Held under the theme of “Lighting up Ulsan’s future with startups,” this event will be conducted as an open meeting to share Ulsan’s startup support projects and listen to the suggestions of entrepreneurs.

The event will begin with an introduction to Ulsan City’s startup support projects, followed by a time to freely ask questions and share opinions on the difficulties entrepreneurs face in the field.

Ulsan is promoting projects in three areas under the vision of “Ulsan, a Manufacturing Artificial Intelligence (AI) Startup City” to create a research and technology-intensive startup ecosystem based on the manufacturing industry: Expanding startup infrastructure, Vitalizing startup venture investments, and Supporting startup companies.

First, to “expand startup infrastructure,” the city will: Create a startup park specialized in Ulsan’s shipbuilding and marine industry, Operate the Ulsan Startup Hub, and Operate Toktok Factory and Toktok Street.

In the area of “vitalizing startup venture investments,” the city will promote the expansion of investments in startup companies by creating the Ulsan Regional Growth Fund, and supporting private investment-led technology startups.

In addition, for “supporting startup companies,” the city will strengthen consumer-customized Ulsan startup projects (ULSAN series), package support projects for each startup stage, and deep-tech specialized startup-centric university projects.

Deep AI Inc., a representative company that has grown with the startup support of the city, is an AI-based industrial plant non-destructive testing (NDT) solution provider. It became the fifth in the world to acquire the AAPDD certification, the world’s most prestigious automated analysis program for non-destructive testing, and is currently undergoing a KRW 3 billion investment stage.

AAPDD: Stands for Automated Analysis of Performance Demonstration Database, a certification for the automated non-destructive testing evaluation program operated by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) of the United States.

Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom said, “Startups are the most powerful innovation engine that will lead Ulsan’s future,” adding, “We plan to do our best to build a startup-led innovation ecosystem where research technologies developed in universities are actively commercialized through startups and applied to industrial sites.”

Ulsan plans to review the opinions proposed at this event and actively reflect them in supplementing future startup support policies and discovering new projects.

Meanwhile, the city was selected as the “Rising Startup Ecosystem Star in East Asia 2025” by StartupBlink, a global startup ecosystem evaluation agency, last year, and entered the Global Startup City Index for the first time at 546th place, being recognized as the 4th leading startup city in Korea. End.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government, “Benchmarking Ulsan’s High-Value Tax Arrear Collection System”

On the 16th, benchmarking the operational status and best practices of direct collection of tax arrears at the metropolitan level.

Proved its efficiency since the launch of the Special Mobile Collection Team in 2023... Creating a culture of fair tax payment.

Ulsan Metropolitan City’s active local tax arrear collection system is receiving a spotlight from other metropolitan local governments.

The city announced that on March 16, four related officials, including No Seung-ho, Director of the Tax Justice Division of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, will visit Ulsan to benchmark Ulsan City’s “Metropolitan-level Direct Collection and Arrear Management System.”

This visit took place as Gyeonggi Province pushes to transition its system—which previously delegated the authority to collect provincial tax arrears to the respective cities and counties—to one where the metropolitan government directly manages and collects them. The plan is to apply Ulsan’s successful settlement of the system to Gyeonggi Province’s collection operation and arrear management system.

The Gyeonggi Province visiting delegation will study the operational status of the city’s Special Mobile Collection Team at 1 PM in the Tax Administration Officer’s room on the 6th floor of the City Hall main building, and focus on examining legal and administrative procedures following the transfer of direct collection authority for arrears, establishment of a cooperative system with cities and counties, and know-how regarding strong administrative dispositions against high-value tax evaders.

The Ulsan City Special Mobile Collection Team, which became the subject of this benchmarking, was launched in 2023 under the banners of “Establishing a Fair Tax Payment Culture” and “Expanding Local Finances.”

Since its launch, it has been directly carrying out collection activities after taking over high-value tax evaders owing KRW 3 million or more in city taxes from districts and counties.

As a result, in 2023, its first year, it took over 658 tax evaders and KRW 11.1 billion in arrears, collecting KRW 2.2 billion from 230 tax evaders. Through this, it achieved an outcome of a 5.4%p increase in the collection rate compared to before its launch.

Subsequently, in 2024, it took over 721 tax evaders and KRW 14.7 billion, collecting KRW 3 billion from 307 people, and last year, it took over 827 tax evaders and KRW 18.6 billion, collecting KRW 4.6 billion from 436 people, thereby proving the efficiency of the newly established Special Mobile Collection Team.

In particular, its customized collection techniques responding to intelligent property concealment methods are considered a model example for other local governments. Thanks to these active performances, the Special Mobile Collection Team received good evaluations from citizens and was selected as one of the “2023 Ulsan City Administration Best 5”.

A city official said, “This visit by Gyeonggi Province is an example showing that Ulsan’s tax collection administration can become a national standard,” adding, “We will focus our administrative power on creating a fair tax payment environment by healing the relative deprivation of honest taxpayers through strict measures against unconscionable high-value tax evaders and eradicating chronic high-value tax arrears.”

Meanwhile, the city plans to use this benchmarking as an opportunity to strengthen exchanges with Gyeonggi Province on overall tax administration operations and continue to advance efficient arrear management techniques. End.

Ulsan Promotes Expansion of Integrated Care Services for People with Severe Developmental Disabilities

By the 27th, Additional Open Call for Agencies Providing 24-Hour Individual 1-on-1 Support.

High Satisfaction with the 2 Existing Operating Facilities... Expanding the Care Safety Net.

Ulsan Metropolitan City announced that it will hold an open call for implementing agencies for the “Integrated Care Service 24-Hour Individual Support Project” until March 27 to provide customized care services for people with severe developmental disabilities.

The integrated care service for people with severe developmental disabilities is a project that provides 1-on-1 customized services to people with developmental disabilities who have had difficulty using existing welfare services due to challenging behaviors such as self-harm or harm to others.

In particular, the “24-Hour Individual Support Project” is a customized care service promoted to support the independence of people with developmental disabilities in the community and alleviate the care burden on families by combining daytime activity support with nighttime residential support.

Currently, Ulsan operates a total of 10 integrated care providing agencies for people with severe developmental disabilities. Among them, the 24-hour individual 1-on-1 support service is operated by 2 facilities, gaining high satisfaction from users.

As the demand for care for people with severe developmental disabilities has recently increased, Ulsan plans to expand the number of providing agencies through an additional open call to allow more eligible people to use the service.

The targets of the open call are public and non-profit corporations equipped with the ability and experience to provide services to people with developmental disabilities.

Corporations wishing to participate can check the notice posted on the Ulsan Metropolitan Government website (www.ulsan.go.kr) and submit their application documents in person to the City Hall’s Disabled Welfare Division by the 27th.

Ulsan plans to select the final implementing agencies through a selection review committee after document screening and on-site verification. The selected agencies will undergo consulting to supplement their project implementation plans, sign an agreement with Ulsan City, and then promote the project in earnest.

The selection results will be posted on the city website in April and notified individually.

The city is promoting various welfare projects for customized support for people with developmental disabilities and alleviation of family care burdens.

The currently operating Ulsan Emergency Care Center for People with Developmental Disabilities recorded the second-highest utilization rate in the country last year, supporting the stable daily lives of guardians. In the first half of this year, the city plans to open the Ulsan Support Center for Children with Disabilities for the early detection of and intervention in at-risk children with disabilities, establishing a seamless support system for each life cycle.

A city official said, “We plan to continuously expand the 24-hour 1-on-1 customized care system to protect the rights of people with severe developmental disabilities and practically relieve the care burden on families,” adding, “We will build a dense care safety net that people with developmental disabilities can feel in the community by organically linking it with currently ongoing projects such as the operation of the emergency care center and the opening of the support center for children with disabilities.” End.

“Spring at the Taehwagang River, Visit the Waterbird Observatory on a River Island”

March 16–April 12, near the Flower Garden in Migratory Bird Part in Samho Bamboo Forest, Nam-gu.

Natural Environment Interpreters Explain Waterbird Ecology and the Formation of River Sedimentary Topography.

Ulsan Metropolitan City and the Taehwa River Ecotourism announced that they will operate the “Waterbird Observatory on a River Island” near the flower garden of Namgu Migratory Bird Part in Samho Bamboo Forest (47 Mugeo-dong) from March 16 to April 12.

This observatory was arranged to inform citizens of the ecological value of the “River Island (Hajungdo),” a unique sedimentary topography of the Taehwagang River, and to provide an opportunity to directly observe various waterbirds that have visited for the spring season.

A river island is a sedimentary terrain created as the flow velocity of the lower reaches of a river slows down, and it is an optimal resting and feeding place for waterbirds as various aquatic organisms live there.

The observatory is operated regularly from 10 AM to 5 PM without closing on holidays, and anyone can participate for free by visiting the site without prior reservation. However, it will not be operated on rainy days.

As for the main programs, two natural environment interpreters will be stationed to provide explanations on the formation principles and ecological roles of the river island, waterbird observation using high-magnification telescopes (field scopes), and camouflage suit (ghillie suit) experiences.

In particular, during this period at the river island, visitors can vividly encounter the vibrant ecosystem of the Taehwagang River, including Grey Herons, Great Egrets, Intermediate Egrets, Little Egrets, and Black-crowned Night Herons that have visited for summer breeding, as well as Great Cormorants drying their wings after feeding activities.

Experience events for family visitors are also prepared. An experiential activity to make personalized keychains by directly coloring representative bird models such as Spot-billed Ducks and Kingfishers with acrylic pens will be held in parallel.

A city official said, “We plan to prepare and operate various experiential programs in the future to promote Ulsan, an ecological city where birds and people coexist harmoniously.” End.

Ulsan

Recruiting Companies to Participate in SME Product and Packaging Design Development Support

Additional Support for Overseas Exhibitions and Market Pioneering for Supported Companies

Ulsan Metropolitan City announced that it is recruiting local SMEs to participate in the “2026 Design-Driven Manufacturing Innovation Support Project (Product Design)” and the “2026 Ulsan SME Packaging Design Development Support Project.”

The “Design-Driven Manufacturing Innovation Support Project” is a project that provides design consulting for product capability analysis and strategy discovery for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and middle-market companies, and supports full-cycle design development ranging from product design support to sales promotion and PR.

Target companies are those requiring new product development among materials, parts, and root technology companies within Ulsan’s SMEs.

The plan is to recruit a total of 8 companies by April 3 and support product design up to KRW 30 million.

The “Ulsan SME Packaging Design Development Support Project” is a project that supports design development for product innovation, such as design strategy education, packaging design development, and market channel support, targeting SMEs located in Ulsan.

The city plans to accept applications until March 23 and select a total of 20 companies by April.

Design strategy education will be provided to the selected companies, and among them, up to KRW 20 million for packaging design development will be supported for 10 companies.

Also, starting in September, the city plans to select 2 companies from those chosen for the support project and support their sales promotion, pushing forward comprehensive support from design strategy to packaging design development and market pioneering.

In addition, bonus points will be granted when applying for the support project to vitalize women-owned and youth-owned businesses.

In May, Ulsan will also provide support for participation in the Maison & Objet exhibition held in France for the SMEs selected for the project to support overseas exhibitions and market pioneering.

Companies wishing to participate can apply after checking the announcement through the Korea Institute of Design Promotion website (www.kidp.or.kr) under Service Design and Manufacturing Innovation → Design-Driven Manufacturing Innovation Center → Notices.

A city official said, “Based on the Ulsan Metropolitan City Industrial Design Fostering Basic Plan established in 2024, we will continuously strive to make Ulsan a center of design innovation,” adding, “Through this project, we plan to actively support SMEs so they can achieve design innovation and strengthen their competitiveness.”

Meanwhile, last year, through the “Design-Driven Manufacturing Innovation Support Project,” the city invested a total of KRW 1.8 billion, including national and city funds, to support a total of 50 companies: 6 for product design, 20 for branding strategy education, 11 for packaging design, 7 for online market support, 2 for overseas exhibitions, and 4 for corporate PR.

Along with this, it achieved results such as 25 design applications, 8 trademark rights, 80 design consultations (consulting), and 134 product photo shoots.

In particular, as a result of supporting participation in the Maison & Objet exhibition in France last year, two companies, Namjeong Co., Ltd. and Villa Oasis, conducted overseas buyer consultations worth about KRW 700 million. As a result, as of December 2025, contracts worth about KRW 107 million were concluded, and additional purchase consultations are currently continuing. End.

Ulsan, Public Contest for Resident Proposed Projects for 2027 Participatory Budgeting

Applications Accepted Online or by Visiting Administrative Welfare Centers Until May 31

Ulsan Metropolitan City announced that it will hold an intensive public contest for resident-proposed projects to organize the 2027 resident participatory budget until May 31.

The resident participatory budgeting system is designed to increase the transparency of local financial operations and realize financial democracy by having residents directly participate in the budgeting process.

Any Ulsan citizen wishing to make a proposal can participate.

Applications can be made online through the Ulsan Metropolitan Government Resident Participatory Budgeting website (www.ulsan.go.kr/s/jumin) and the Resident e-Participation website (pb.lofin365.go.kr/ulsan/main). It is also possible to apply by mail or by visiting the district/county administrative welfare center.

Continuous submission is possible even after the intensive contest period, but applications received after June will be carried over to the next year and reviewed as resident proposal projects for 2028.

The targets for application are projects closely related to residents’ daily lives and with a high degree of benefit to residents. However, projects with high public opposition or requiring prior procedures, projects not under the jurisdiction of Ulsan or its districts/counties, projects supporting specific individuals or groups, and event-oriented projects are excluded from the application.

A city official said, “The received proposals will be reflected in the 2027 main budget after review by the department in charge, deliberation by the Resident Participatory Budgeting Committee, and deliberation by the City Council, and the progress of the proposals can be checked on the Ulsan City Resident Participatory Budgeting website.”

Meanwhile, the city received a total of 496 resident proposal projects last year. Among these, it deliberated on 119 cases under the city’s jurisdiction, adopted 33 cases, and allocated about KRW 29.9 billion in this year’s main budget. End.

Ulsan, On-site Safety Inspection for Public Building Construction Projects

March 16th to 20th, Targeting 5 Construction Sites Commissioned by the City

Securing Quality of Public Buildings and Preventing Safety Accidents

Metropolitan Government announced that it will conduct safety inspections at construction sites commissioned by the city to secure the quality of public building construction projects and prevent safety accidents.

Recently, with the spring thaw season, the importance of safety management at construction sites is growing as the number of unskilled and foreign workers increases.

Accordingly, Ulsan plans to conduct site-oriented safety inspections to prevent safety accidents and secure construction quality at public building construction sites.

This safety inspection will be conducted for 5 days from March 16 to 20.

It will be promoted as a joint inspection method involving the supervisory group and the supervisor in charge, targeting a total of 5 public building construction sites commissioned by the city.

The inspection targets are Pyeongchang Hyundai Front Public Parking Lot Expansion Project, Ulsan Sky Park 2nd Charnel House Construction Project, Dongcheon Gymnasium Auxiliary Stadium Construction Project, Bangeo-dong Youth Hope Housing Construction Project, and Taehwa-dong Youth Hope Housing Construction Project.

In this inspection, the city plans to focus on checking the preparation and management status of the safety management plan, the deployment of safety managers at the workplace and whether hard hats are worn, whether daily safety inspection and safety education logs by work type are prepared, and whether there are collapses of excavation surfaces/slopes and structural changes.

In particular, it will comprehensively check the safety management status of the construction sites by also inspecting whether safety measures in accordance with related laws, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Construction Technology Promotion Act, are being implemented for each site.

A city official said, “Through this safety inspection, we will closely check the safety management status of public building construction sites, while immediately taking action on insufficient areas,” adding, “We will do our best in the construction of public buildings, putting the lives and safety of workers first.” End.