This study investigates the growth dynamics of businesses within regional clusters through empirical analysis and identifies the success factors of regional innovation clusters through case studies. Adopting a practical approach, the empirical analysis uses the data from industrial complexes―recognized as the foundation of Korea’s industrial cluster policy―in connection with the establishment level data from Mining and Manufacturing Survey. The empirical analysis addresses three questions: (1) Do businesses within clusters demonstrate superior growth performance compared to those outside? (2) What specific attributes of cluster-based businesses contribute to their growth patterns? In particular, do they demonstrate linkages with regional innovation capacity? (3) How does cluster membership influence recovery from economic crises such as the global financial crisis?

The case studies focus on Pangyo Techno Valley and the Wonju Medical Device Industry Cluster, analyzing their current status, success factors, and challenges to derive policy insights.

Key findings and policy implications are summarized as follows:

First, businesses located in industrial complexes outperform those outside both in employment and production. According to the analysis model, the businesses in industrial complexes demonstrated approximately 3~5% additional growth in employment, production, and value-added during the investigated period. This trend is consistent across most types of industrial complexes. However, their performance shows no significant correlation with the region’s innovation capacity, suggesting limited impact from the collaboration with regional innovation actors on business outcomes.

Second, there are no additional effects from the government’s cluster policies, such as Free Economic Zones and Research and Development (R&D) Special Zones, at least within the scope of the empirical analysis. While further research is needed, these findings indicate that overlapping designations and investments may dilute the effectiveness of existing cluster policies, calling for more cautious and strategic planning in future cluster policy implementation. As the Korean government is introducing Opportunity Development Zones, it should evaluate the effectiveness of previous policies and better utilize already-invested resources by connecting with existing clusters.

Third, businesses within regional clusters exhibit stronger recovery from external shocks, such as economic crises, than those outside. This advantage appears to stem from the agglomeration of industries within clusters, facilitating information sharing and access to resources. These attributes are noteworthy for building sustainable and resilient regional economic ecosystems. Moreover, the case studies reveal that the establishment and development of regional innovation clusters rely on key success factors, including leadership by regional stakeholders and the capacity to develop and manage these clusters―specifically, planning led by local actors, tight-knit collaboration among innovation actors, and cooperative governance to mobilize resources. While generalizing these findings requires caution, they provide valuable insights for fostering successful regional innovation clusters.

Preface
Summary

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Literature Review
　Section 1. Definition of Clusters and Analytical Implications
　Section 2. Previous Studies in Korea
　Section 3. Policies Related to Regional Clusters in Korea

Chapter 3. Empirical Analysis
　Section 1. Overview of the Empirical Analysis
　Section 2. Data and Analytical Model
　Section 3. Empirical Results

Chapter 4. Case Studies
　Section 1. Overview
　Section 2. Case Study: Pangyo Techno Valley
　Section 3. Case Study: Wonju Medical Device Industry Cluster
　Section 4. Summary of Findings
　Chapter 5. Conclusion and Policy Implications

References
Appendix
ABSTRACT