Daegu officials demand fair selection process for National Institute of Dental Research

Daegu Mayor Chu Kyung-ho, alongside dental professionals, academics, and industry leaders from the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, have issued a joint statement demanding a complete redesign of the evaluation criteria for the location of the National Institute of Dental Research.

The group alleges that the current evaluation metrics, based on a Ministry of Health and Welfare research project, are biased and fail to reflect actual research and industrial capabilities. They specifically criticized the high weighting given to transportation accessibility (16.8%) and regional indicators like GRDP and population growth (14.7%), while objective industrial metrics such as the number of dental companies, revenue, and value-added figures were excluded.

Daegu officials emphasized the city's strengths, including its advanced medical complex, dental university hospitals, and its status as a leader in dental industry production and exports outside the capital region. They also highlighted the city's designation as a dental regulatory free zone and its progress in AI-based digital dentistry. The group has called for a Ministry of Health and Welfare audit regarding allegations of procedural irregularities in the research contract and has demanded full transparency in the selection process.