Jogyuil Jinju Mayor Visits KAI to Strengthen Mutual Cooperation for Aviation Industry Development

Start of the 8th Minseon Term... Economic Recovery and Job Creation Through Corporate Attraction

Mayor Jo Gyu-il visited Korea Aerospace Industries and toured the hangar with KAI's key executives.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City, Gyeongnam Province, has begun efforts to attract companies to promote the development of the aerospace industry and revitalize the local economy ahead of the full-scale launch of the 8th term of the elected government.

On the 27th, Mayor Jo Gyu-il visited Korea Aerospace Industries (hereinafter ‘KAI’) to check the investment implementation status between Jinju City and KAI for the establishment of the rotary-wing flight center, and reaffirmed mutual cooperation intentions to enhance the competitiveness of the region’s strategic industries and the aviation industry, as well as to create jobs.

Rotary-wing aircraft are types of aircraft that fly using rotating wings in the form of rotors, such as helicopters. In June of last year, Jinju City and KAI signed an investment agreement for the ‘Rotary-Wing Flight Center.’ Currently, the flight center is being constructed in the Gasan General Industrial Complex in Ibanseong-myeon, with completion targeted for next year.

With the establishment of the rotary-wing flight center, KAI will become the first domestic company to secure an exclusive flight center and plans to operate the final operational system process and comprehensive flight center for rotary-wing aircraft.

Mayor Jo Gyu-il said, “Starting with the construction of the KAI rotary-wing flight center, we expect changes in the domestic aviation industry ecosystem and an expansion of areas for mutual cooperation,” adding, “Jinju City will make every effort to become a future urban air mobility (UAM) industry entrant and a global aviation industry hub.”

The city established a corporate attraction team in 2019 and recruited private experts, signing agreements to attract investments worth 500 billion KRW and create 1,600 jobs with companies in Jinju’s strategic industries, including aerospace, root industries, and advanced materials (ceramics).