With a project cost of 25.9 billion KRW and a completion target of 2027... Yeongdong Northern Smart Farm Expected to Become a Hub
Exceeding the Goal of Governor's Pledge in the 8th Term: 'Establishing Smart Farm Hub Cities by Gangwon Region'
Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) announced on the 24th that Yangyang-gun was finally selected in the ‘2025 Regional Specialized Rental-type Smart Farm Contest Project’ hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. With this achievement, Gangwon Province secured 4 out of 15 rental-type smart farms, achieving the highest national market share (over 25%).
Overview of Yangyang-gun Lease-type Smart Farm Project. Image provided by Gangwon Provincial Government.
After fierce competition among 7 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide, Gangwon (Yangyang) and Jeju (Jeju) were finally selected. Gangwon Province was evaluated to have gained a competitive edge through a highly complete preliminary plan, meticulous operational system, and thorough preparation for document and on-site evaluations.
In particular, Governor Kim Jin-tae’s video message and Executive Vice Governor Kim Myung-seon’s face-to-face evaluation presentation strongly conveyed Gangwon’s passion and vision to the judges, playing a crucial role in the final selection.
Gangwon Province and Yangyang-gun plan to invest a total project cost of 25.9 billion KRW, including 14 billion KRW in national funds and 11.9 billion KRW in local funds, over three years starting in 2025 to establish a 4-hectare smart farm, aiming to position the Yeongdong northern region (Yangyang, Gangneung, Sokcho, Goseong) as a hub for smart farm expansion.
The project will complete basic and detailed designs by June next year, start construction in August, and aim for completion in 2027.
With Yangyang-gun’s selection, Gangwon Province has attracted its fourth rental-type smart farm project following Pyeongchang (2019), Yanggu (2021), and Samcheok (2022), exceeding the goal of creating ‘Smart Farm Hub Cities by Gangwon Regions,’ a campaign promise of the 8th-term governor.
Originally planned for three regions?northern, central, and southern Gangwon?the scope has expanded to four regions including the north and south of Yeongdong and Yeongseo, enabling Gangwon Province to establish a more sophisticated and effective smart farm operational system.
Meanwhile, the province is strengthening its technological competitiveness by attracting various smart agriculture projects such as rental-type smart farms (4 sites, 97.4 billion KRW) and open-field smart agriculture complexes (Taebaek, 24.5 billion KRW), maximizing agricultural productivity and efficiency through advanced technology and data-based approaches.
Additionally, since the 8th term, to pioneer the green bio industry that creates high value-added agriculture using life sciences and biotechnology, the province has secured major projects including the insect industry hub complex (Chuncheon, 20 billion KRW), the natural product full-cycle standardization hub (Gangneung, 45 billion KRW), and the green bio venture campus (Pyeongchang, 23.1 billion KRW), establishing itself as a center for sustainable agricultural development and regional economic revitalization.
Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, said, “With the selection of the Yangyang-gun smart farm project, we now hold the largest number of smart farms nationwide,” adding, “This will be an important milestone for Gangwon to leap forward as the center of smart agriculture.” The governor also stated, “We will create a sustainable agricultural ecosystem together with young people passionate about agriculture.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
