Gwangyang Economic Free Zone Authority Initiates Investment Attraction in Qingdao and Shanghai, China

Yeosu Gwangyang Port Joint Marketing Collaboration

Gwangyang Port and Sepung Port Hinterland Complex Joint Promotion

The Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone Authority (Commissioner Song Sang-rak, hereinafter referred to as Gwangyang Economic Authority) conducted investment attraction activities in the fields of logistics related to e-commerce, consumer goods, and automobile parts manufacturing by visiting Qingdao (??), an international port and Asia's largest financial market, and Shanghai (上海) in China from May 26 to 31 for six days.

This investment attraction activity in China was part of the joint marketing project for Yeosu Gwangyang Port, where the Gwangyang Economic Authority and Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority jointly promoted Gwangyang Port, the Gwangyang Port hinterland complex, the Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone, and the Sepung Port hinterland complex. Through this, they sought to discover potential Chinese investment companies and attract container cargo volume.

[Photo by Gwangyang Economic Promotion Agency]

In Qingdao, through an investment attraction briefing jointly hosted by KOTRA Qingdao Trade Center and the Gwangyang Economic Authority, they explained the convenience of using Gwangyang Port for e-commerce products exported from China to Korea and the customs suspension free trade zone.

Following this, they introduced the investment environment of the Gwangyang Bay Area and the advantages of import and export through Gwangyang Port to Chinese manufacturing and logistics companies by presenting the success case of HAM, a Chinese powdered milk company located in Gwangyang Port.

During a visit to Shandong Port Shipping Group (山?港口航?集?), a professional shipping company affiliated with the Shandong Port Group, they had a meeting with CEO Zhaobo (?博) to receive an introduction to the company and its main operations and discussed the ferry route of Gwangyang Port and mutual cooperation plans.

They also visited Shangjia Tech, an automobile parts manufacturing company, introduced the investment environment and industrial complexes of the Gwangyang Bay Area, and agreed to continue investment attraction consultations by visiting the Gwangyang Bay Area in the future.

In Shanghai, through an exchange meeting with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and businesspeople, they promoted the Gwangyang Port hinterland complex and the industrial complexes of the Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone, introduced success cases of foreign-invested companies utilizing import and export advantages, and presented business opportunities through Gwangyang Port related to Chinese e-commerce companies exporting to Korea.

Additionally, they conducted investment consultations targeting Chinese e-commerce and logistics companies such as GLP Logistics and Yatong Logistics, proposing the establishment of logistics centers within the Gwangyang Port Free Trade Zone.

Chinese businesspeople showed great interest in the investment environment of the Gwangyang Bay Area and the advantages of import and export through Gwangyang Port, expressing their intention to visit the Gwangyang Bay Area in the future to observe success cases.

In particular, they stated that the ferry connection between Gwangyang Port and Chinese ports and the entry of Chinese B2B e-commerce companies into Korea would enable Gwangyang Port to have sufficient competitiveness in attracting e-commerce cargo volume.

A representative of the Gwangyang Economic Authority said, “Through investment attraction activities in China, we plan to invite companies interested in investing in the logistics and consumer goods sectors related to Chinese e-commerce to the Gwangyang Bay Area and to do our best to successfully attract Chinese companies’ investments in the Gwangyang Bay Area through continuous networking with KOTRA Qingdao Trade Center and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.”