Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Wednesday attended a ceremony to launch a provincial "creative economy innovation center," a state project tainted by a recent corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye. 

During the opening ceremony in Naju, 355 kilometers south of Seoul, Hwang pledged to support technology startups and make all-out efforts to revitalize the country's economy suffering from weak exports and flagging consumption. 

"(The government) will strive harder to encourage more to open startups (this year)," Hwang said.

Seoul has been pushing to establish a 3.5 trillion won ($2.9 billion) fund to nurture startups, particularly in the science and technology sectors, as part of efforts to secure new growth engines and inject fresh life into the sluggish economy.

The Naju center joins a total of 17 creative economy institutions that central and provincial governments and local companies have set up to help create jobs, raise quality human resources and provide support for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Opposition parties raised allegations that Park's confidante Choi Soon-sil may have been involved in attracting business contributions to the sprawling creative economy centers.

Seoul has been pushing to establish a 3.5 trillion won ($2.9 billion) fund to nurture startups, particularly in the science and technology sectors, as part of efforts to secure new growth engines and inject fresh life into the sluggish economy. (Yonhap)