Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, has achieved tangible results from the ambitious 'Gyeonggi Eastern Region Grand Development Plan,' which he has been promoting to drive regional economic growth through regulatory easing.
On July 1, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government announced that the proposal to create the 'Yeoju Ganam General Industrial Complex Cluster,' part of Governor Kim Dong-yeon's Gyeonggi Eastern Region Grand Development Plan, passed the review of the Capital Region Maintenance Committee under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on June 27. As a result, a large-scale industrial complex cluster covering 271,663 square meters (equivalent to 38 soccer fields) will be established in Ganam-myeon.
The Yeoju Ganam Industrial Complex holds special significance as it will be the first large-scale industrial complex cluster established in the Natural Conservation Zone of the Seoul Metropolitan Area.
Since the introduction of the 'Capital Region Maintenance Act' in 1983, eight cities and counties in the eastern part of Gyeonggi Province, including Yeoju, have been designated as Natural Conservation Zones, and the creation of industrial complexes has been prohibited for the past 40 years.
The Gyeonggi Provincial Government plans to develop the industrial complex cluster with a focus on semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment, aiming for completion in 2027. According to the province, once the complex is completed, it is expected to generate not only the symbolic achievement of lifting the final regulatory barrier in the metropolitan area, but also economic benefits through revitalization of the regional economy.
According to Yeoju City, the establishment of the industrial complex is expected to create a total of 1,242 jobs, including 859 direct jobs and 383 indirect jobs, mainly in the semiconductor industry. In particular, the creation of the cluster is expected to attract population inflow to the region, which in turn will lead to increased demand for housing, education, and consumption, creating a virtuous cycle throughout the local economy.
Kang Minseok, spokesperson for Gyeonggi Province, stated, "There may be concerns about environmental damage regarding the creation of the Ganam industrial complex, but after consultations with the central government, we decided to proceed with the project in a way that preserves the legislative intent of the revised law while focusing on revitalizing the regional economy." He added, "The issue of haphazard development caused by the proliferation of small, individual factories can also be gradually improved through the establishment of this industrial complex."
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