Pocheon City Attracts LIG Nex1 Close Maintenance Support Center... Emerges as a Hub for Defense Industry MRO

Pocheon City in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 16th that it has succeeded in attracting the Close Maintenance Support Center of LIG Nex1, a leading domestic defense company.

Pocheon City succeeded in attracting the Close Maintenance Support Center of LIG Nex1, a leading domestic defense company, on the 16th. Photo by Pocheon City.

Since 2023, Pocheon City has actively supported the technological development and demonstration infrastructure for companies aiming to advance unmanned and manned-unmanned integrated systems, including drones, based on the nation's largest military training ground and the special drone liberalization zone.

Modern warfare is rapidly shifting toward unmanned systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI), and the military is also striving to secure advanced AI-based defense capabilities, such as training 500,000 drone soldiers. As weapon systems become more advanced, the importance of maintenance, repair, and operation continues to grow. In this context, the Close Maintenance Support Center of LIG Nex1 will play a pivotal role. Especially in light of the ongoing population decline, the MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) business areas of defense companies are expected to expand further in the future.

Aerospace maintenance policies are directly linked to defense exports, making this a critical sector where the importance of civil-military cooperation is increasingly highlighted. The military needs to actively leverage the advanced technologies of private defense companies to improve the efficiency of weapon system maintenance and repair, and to ease fiscal burdens. In fact, the United States and Germany are already pursuing logistics policies centered on outsourcing non-combat sectors to the private sector and streamlining military logistics units.

At the World Drone Festival Conference held along the Hantan River on the 11th, a representative from LIG Nex1 gave a presentation on the "Necessity and Effectiveness of Civil-Military Cooperation in Logistics." Introducing the Close Maintenance Support Center project to be established in Pocheon City, the representative emphasized the geographical advantages of northern Gyeonggi Province for the efficient operation of future defense MRO businesses. In addition, the Gyeonggi Defense Venture Center, currently being promoted by Gyeonggi Province, is also expected to play a central role in the development of the defense industry and the strengthening of civil-military cooperation.

Baek Younghyeon, Mayor of Pocheon City, stated, "We have been closely coordinating with LIG Nex1 regarding the establishment and operational direction of the Close Maintenance Support Center." He added, "The center will be built with a total floor area of approximately 1,800 square meters and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. We plan to sign the related business agreement in November."

He further commented, "We will focus our administrative efforts on attracting the Gyeonggi Defense Venture Center so that Pocheon City can emerge as a key hub for the defense industry in northern Gyeonggi Province."