Shin Jeonghoon Proposes Establishing Jeonnam as a Global Logistics Hub

Emphasis on "Southern Economic Zone" at National Assembly Interpellation
Prime Minister Kim Minseok: "A Desirable Plan... Preparing Measures"

Shin Jeonghoon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, proposed the strategy of "Establishing Jeonnam as a Global Logistics Hub" to create future growth engines for the Honam region during the political sector interpellation held at the National Assembly on the 15th. Photo by Shin Jeonghoon's Office

Shin Jeonghoon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (representing Naju and Hwasun in South Jeolla Province and serving as Chairman of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee), stated on September 16 that during the political sector interpellation session at the National Assembly on the 15th, he emphasized, "Balanced national development is a core policy agenda of the Lee Jaemyung administration." He proposed the "Establishing Jeonnam as a Global Logistics Hub" strategy to advance the current "Five Major Regions and Three Special Zones" national balanced development policy and to create future growth engines for the Honam region.

Shin pointed out that, unlike the Yeongnam region, where major projects such as the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the construction of the new Gadeokdo Airport are actively underway, the Honam region, which faces population decline and industrial crisis, still lacks large-scale national investment and effective balanced development policies. He went on to suggest fostering Yeosu, Gwangyang, and Mokpo Ports, along with Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, as an integrated logistics platform for the southern region.

He particularly emphasized that moving beyond the conventional approach of treating Busan and South Jeolla as separate regions, and instead fostering Busan and South Jeolla as a single large economic zone, is essential to create a growth axis comparable to the Seoul metropolitan area. To this end, he called on the government to pursue an innovative economic growth plan encompassing the entire southern region, including the establishment of a dual-axis maritime logistics hub model by simultaneously developing the "Northern Sea Route" in Busan and the "New Southern Route" in South Jeolla.

The 'Super Metropolitan Logistics Hub' plan proposed by Shin Jeonghoon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Provided by Shin Jeonghoon's office

The "Super Metropolitan Logistics Hub" plan proposed by Shin involves connecting Yeosu, Gwangyang, and Mokpo Ports with Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province to establish a New Southern Global Logistics Platform, and nurturing supporting industries through eco-friendly, high-tech industrial infrastructure such as RE100 industrial complexes and an "energy expressway." In addition, the plan calls for enacting special legislation to guarantee legal, administrative, and financial exemptions to enable region-led creative innovation.

In response to Shin's proposal, Prime Minister Kim Minseok stated, "The government is also preparing specific regional development strategies, such as data centers, centered on the Committee for the Era of Local Autonomy," and added, "The super metropolitan logistics hub and innovation growth plan is highly creative and desirable."

Shin also questioned whether, in order to effectively implement basic income for rural and fishing communities, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety should take charge of the project to address local extinction and revitalize the regional economy. Prime Minister Kim replied, "We will thoroughly review this."

Meanwhile, in local political circles, Shin's interpellation at the National Assembly has been positively received, with expectations rising for the development of the South Jeolla region, as well as confirmation of the Lee Jaemyung administration's commitment to balanced national development.