Pohang as the Forward Base in the New East Coast Era... Emerging as a Hub City for Balanced Development and New Industries

Driving Regional Balanced Development and Strengthening New Industry Competitiveness, Government Continues to Designate Specialized Complexes and Zones

Mayor Lee Kangduk: "A Model City for Balanced Development, Offering Hope for Prosperous Local Cities"

Pohang City is continuing its dynamic leap forward as a key city ushering in the New East Coast Era, successfully securing designations for various specialized zones and districts?core government policies aimed at promoting balanced regional development and strengthening the competitiveness of new industries?across the 7th and 8th terms of local administration.

In March, Pohang City’s Corporate Innovation Park, a key project promoted as part of the company-led growth hub development initiative, was selected in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s pilot project competition.

The city leveraged its globally competitive R&D infrastructure and outstanding natural landscapes, utilizing its local capabilities and resources to be designated during the 7th term as one of the “Three National Strategic Special Zones”?the Battery Regulation-Free Special Zone, the Gangso R&D Special Zone, and the Yeongilman Tourism Special Zone. This not only secured new growth engines but also laid the foundation for diversifying the industrial structure through the promotion of startups, business attraction, and tourism revitalization.

Building on this momentum, Pohang was selected as a specialized complex in two fields (secondary batteries and bio) among the national advanced strategic industries for the first time in the country during the 8th term. In addition, the city now encompasses both Opportunity Development Special Zone and Education Development Special Zone?two major local government special zones?along with the Corporate Innovation Park, leading the realization of a true local era where businesses and talent gather.

Foreseeing the explosive growth of the secondary battery market, Pohang made proactive efforts to attract the Battery Regulation-Free Special Zone, which, with support such as regulatory exemptions, achieved outstanding results in attracting large-scale corporate investment and revitalizing industrial complexes. This led to Pohang being selected as the only city nationwide to be recognized as an Excellent Special Zone for four consecutive years, marking the beginning of the “Battery Era” led by Pohang.

Furthermore, with last year’s designation as a Secondary Battery Specialized Complex, the city is accelerating the expansion of industrial complexes and R&D core infrastructure, as well as establishing a talent cultivation system. In particular, Pohang was recently designated as the largest Secondary Battery Opportunity Development Special Zone among basic local governments nationwide, receiving various support measures such as corporate tax reductions to practically encourage local business investment.

Accordingly, Pohang is creating the optimal environment to secure a technological edge in secondary batteries, and by linking with the Education Development Special Zone?a regional balanced development policy through educational innovation?the city is expected to further strengthen customized talent cultivation, greatly contributing to securing South Korea’s global competitiveness and leadership in the secondary battery sector.

Additionally, in the field of “biohealth industry,” which Pohang has steadily fostered as a core future industry, the city was recently designated as a “Bio Specialized Complex.” This will accelerate the creation of a “Biohealth Cluster” through comprehensive government support, including expedited processing of permits and approvals and technology development.

Notably, as the first basic local government nationwide to be selected in two fields of the National Advanced Strategic Industry Specialized Complex, Pohang plans to attract the “National Advanced Strategic Industry Promotion Agency” (tentative name) in the future, taking the lead as a dedicated national institution in the comprehensive operation and development of the specialized complexes.

In March of this year, Pohang was also designated as a Corporate Innovation Park, one of the government’s core regional balanced development policies, gaining momentum in creating an innovation ecosystem for new industries. This project, one of the government’s top 120 national tasks, aims to overcome the crisis of local extinction by developing and investing in corporate-led mixed-use cities in ways desired by job-creating companies.

Pohang City plans to continue responding thoroughly to ensure it is designated for other key government projects, such as Global Innovation Special Zones, Hydrogen Specialized Complexes, Distributed Energy Specialized Areas, and Urban Convergence Special Zones.

Mayor Lee Kangdeok emphasized, “We will continue to respond swiftly to national projects that innovate living conditions, including education, and secure competitiveness in new industries, which are most crucial for overcoming the crisis of local extinction and achieving sustainable urban development,” adding, “We will do our utmost to make Pohang a role model for balanced development and a prosperous local city that offers hope.”