Public Forum on Livelihood in Jeonbuk... "As a Bridgehead for Advanced Industries"
President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 27th "Public Livelihood Discussion with the People: Jeonbuk, the Economic Forward Base Opening the New West Coast Era," held on the 18th at JB Group Aureum Campus in Jeongeup-si, Jeonbuk. [Image source=Yonhap News]
President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 18th, "Since Wanju was selected as a candidate site for the national industrial complex in March last year, we will invest 250 billion KRW by 2030 to establish a hydrogen-specialized national industrial complex. By 2026, we will expand infrastructure such as the 'Hydrogen Commercial Vehicle Reliability Verification Center' to build an innovative ecosystem for hydrogen commercial vehicles."
On the same day in the afternoon, President Yoon held the 27th public discussion forum under the theme "Jeonbuk, the Economic Forward Base Opening a New West Coast Era" at the JB Group Aurum Campus in Jeongeup, Jeonbuk. This forum was held one month after the Gyeongbuk public discussion forum in June.
In his opening remarks, President Yoon mentioned, "The recent heavy rains caused significant damage in the Jeonbuk region," and added, "I extend my condolences to the residents who are facing difficulties, and the government will swiftly deploy all available resources to help you return to your daily lives as soon as possible."
He then evaluated Jeonbuk as a region with great development potential and emphasized, "I have three key words as a vision for Jeonbuk's leap forward. The first is advanced technology, the second is life, and the third is culture. We must develop Jeonbuk into a strong foothold for advanced industries in the Republic of Korea."
President Yoon said, "We will complete the 240 billion KRW carbon materials national industrial complex being developed in Jeonju by 2027," and added, "By 2028, we will invest an additional 100 billion KRW to foster it as a hub for carbon parts and applied technology development."
In particular, the government plans to actively promote the establishment of the Wanju hydrogen-specialized national industrial complex and expand infrastructure such as the 'Hydrogen Commercial Vehicle Reliability Verification Center' to create an innovative ecosystem for hydrogen commercial vehicles. Support will be provided for training high-level personnel with master's and doctoral degrees to lead the development and innovation of the Saemangeum secondary battery specialized complex. By 2029, 70 billion KRW will be invested to establish a bio convergence industry testbed spanning Jeonju, Wanju, and Jeongeup. Centered on the Gunsan area, 40 billion KRW will be allocated to support demonstration experiments of marine unmanned equipment such as unmanned underwater vehicles and unmanned observation devices, aiming to develop Jeonbuk into a research and development hub for advanced marine equipment.
President Yoon stated, "Jeonbuk is well-equipped with agricultural life industry infrastructure such as the Gimje Smart Farm Innovation Valley and the Iksan National Food Cluster," and added, "We will develop Jeonbuk into a hub for the agricultural life industry."
President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 27th "Public Livelihood Discussion with the People: Jeonbuk, the Economic Forward Base Opening the New West Coast Era," held on the 18th at JB Group Aurum Campus in Jeongeup-si, Jeonbuk. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Additionally, 40 billion KRW will be invested in Gimje and Jangsu to create a 24,000-pyeong (approximately 79,338 square meters) rental-type smart farm to support young entrepreneurs' startup challenges. The government plans to promptly promote the construction of the 'National Food Cluster Phase 2' for fostering future promising food industries such as food tech, and designate an agricultural life district to support the expansion of private investment in Jeonbuk agriculture. To make Saemangeum a forward base for advanced future agriculture, a 450 billion KRW agricultural water supply project will be promoted to support the settlement of advanced agricultural facilities including smart farms.
President Yoon announced, "Since Jeonbuk possesses excellent cultural tourism resources such as Jeonju Hanok Village and Namwon crafts, we will designate Jeonju, Gunsan, and Namwon as 'Cultural Industry Promotion Districts' by next year to nurture cultural content that reflects the region's characteristics. We will also support the construction of the 'Jeonbuk K-Cultural Content Support Center' to foster cultural content venture companies." Plans include supporting the completion of a sports complex dedicated to youth training and an integrated rehabilitation hospital in Jeonbuk by 2026 to strengthen the essential medical service system in the region.
President Yoon said, "We will promote amendments to the 'Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Act,' enacted last December, to ensure its substantive operation, expand financial support necessary to realize Jeonbuk as a 'Life Economy City,' and actively incorporate measures to respond to local extinction into the special law."
About 80 people attended the forum, including residents of the Jeonbuk region, entrepreneurs in advanced industries and agriculture, researchers, farmers, young entrepreneurs, and members of the Jeollabuk-do Local Era Committee. From the government, Woo Dong-gi, chairman of the Local Era Committee, Song Mi-ryeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Kim Kyung-an, head of the Saemangeum Development Agency, participated. From the region, Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeollabuk-do, attended, along with Sung Tae-yoon, Chief of Policy Office at the Presidential Office.
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