The Role of Regional Social Innovation Hubs in Korea

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 Korea’s social economy and social innovation sector have traditionally developed under central government-led policies.

However, in recent years, the trend has shifted.

A new wave of innovation is emerging — one that is grounded in local diversity and on-the-ground experience.

 

Across the country, regional change is becoming more visible.

Local communities are no longer just recipients of social problems;

they are becoming active agents, experimenting with and spreading their own solutions. At the heart of this transformation are regional social innovation hubs.

 

Social Campus On logo (Source: Screenshot from the Seoul Center page of the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency)

What Are Regional Social Innovation Hubs?

 

A social innovation hub is a collaborative space where social innovators, social ventures, startups, residents, youth, businesses, and public institutions work together to identify local challenges and develop solutions based on social economy or technology-driven approaches.

 

The enterprises involved are not focused solely on profit — they aim to experiment with social value and sustainability within their communities.

 

Since around 2010, Korea has introduced initiatives such as the Social Enterprise Promotion Act, social venture support programs, and expanded impact investment, which together have fostered the nationwide growth of hub-type infrastructures that drive regional innovation.

 

Major Regional Innovation Hubs

 

One of the most representative examples is Social Campus On,

a national network of innovation centers jointly operated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency (KoSEA).

 

Social Campus On operates in major regions including Seoul, Busan, Gangwon, Incheon, Chungnam, Gyeongnam, and Daegu, serving as an incubation hub for social innovation and startups.

 

Each campus hosts social venture and social enterprise teams that:

 

✅Develop business models

 

✅Receive investment readiness and mentoring support

 

✅Operate projects to address local issues

 

In addition to Social Campus On, the Korean government has also established Social Economy Innovation Towns across the country.

To date, regions such as Jeonbuk, Gyeongnam, Daejeon, Daegu, and Chungnam have been designated for this initiative, and most of these towns are already up and running.

 

These Innovation Towns serve as regional centers for social and technological innovation, connecting local industries, supporting community employment, and revitalizing local economies.

 

The Significance of Regional Social Innovation Hubs

 

For social ventures, entrepreneurs, and innovators, space is one of the most crucial elements. Thus, creating a dedicated hub where innovators can fully focus on their mission has immense value.

 

Beyond that, these hubs act as living laboratories, where young people, citizens, and public institutions collaborate to test and refine solutions to social problems.

 

Ideas born within these hubs often evolve into local policies, and local governments, in turn, design new innovations based on these experiences.

In this sense, regional innovation hubs function as platforms that bring national policies to life at the community level.

 

Challenges and the Road Ahead

 

For regional social innovation hubs to take deeper root, the following elements are essential:

 

✅Stable and sustainable funding

 

✅Data systems reflecting local social issues

 

✅Strong public–private governance and collaboration

 

Korea’s social innovation landscape is now moving beyond the capital city, evolving into a decentralized ecosystem led by local communities.

 

This transformation — from centralized policy to locally driven innovation — is what makes Korea a country increasingly recognized in the global social innovation movement.



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