Wando-gun Selected as 'Excellent Special Zone' for Seaweed and Abalone Industry Special Zone

Fostering New Growth Engine Industries and Promoting Economic Revitalization

Ranked 6th Among 190 Special Zones, Awarded Minister of SMEs and Startups Prize

Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do secured the Minister of SMEs and Startups Award and 50 million KRW in prize money at the ‘2023 Regional Specialized Development Zone Awards Ceremony and Performance Sharing Meeting’ hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry) on the 11th.

According to the county on the 14th, the Seaweed and Abalone Industry Special Zone was selected as an ‘Excellent Zone’ among a total of 190 zones in the ‘2023 (2022 performance) Regional Specialized Development Zone Operation Performance Evaluation’ announced by the Ministry on the 29th of last month.

In particular, the Wando Seaweed and Abalone Industry Special Zone ranked 6th out of 190 zones. The evaluation was conducted in three stages: first, a document review; second, an expert on-site evaluation; and third, a public evaluation (PPT presentation).

Received the Minister of SMEs and Startups Award at the Regional Specialized Development Zone Awards Ceremony and Performance Sharing Meeting.
[Photo by Wando-gun]

As a result, among the 190 zones nationwide, 9 were selected as ‘Excellent Zones,’ 30 as ‘Outstanding Zones,’ and 146 as ‘Average Zones.’

Wando-gun has designated the ‘Wando Seaweed and Abalone Industry Special Zone’ in 2009 to foster seaweed and abalone, premium local specialties, as new growth engines and local industries, aiming to revitalize the economy through high value-added industrialization, and has been managing and operating it to this day.

The ‘Wando Seaweed and Abalone Industry Special Zone’ covers a total area of 44.32 million square meters across Wando-eup and 11 other towns and townships, with 68 companies (548 employees) located within the zone.

Since 2009 until 2023, the county has invested a total of 129 billion KRW to promote five specialized projects and 17 detailed projects.

Especially this year, in collaboration with companies within the zone and the Marine Bio Research Center, achievements include the production of cosmetics (mud packs, mask packs, creams, etc.) using seaweed, development of five processed food products, and development of about 10 marine healing therapy products utilizing Wando’s specialized resources.

Since its designation as a special zone, the ‘Wando Seaweed and Abalone Industry Special Zone’ has been highly evaluated for contributing to regional economic revitalization through increased brand value of abalone and seaweed industries, sales growth, and job creation due to high-quality product development, leading to its selection as an ‘Excellent Zone.’

County Governor Shin Woo-cheol said, “We will continue to do our best to commercialize various products through relentless research and development on seaweed and abalone, and develop our county’s marine resources, which have comparative advantages such as seaweed and abalone, into new growth engine industries by linking them with bio, energy, and pharmaceuticals, thereby laying the foundation for regional economic development.”

Wando = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil just8440@asiae.co.kr