Developing the Gwangyang Bay Area as a Core Hub for the K-Battery Supply Chain
Gwangyang City in South Jeolla Province announced on December 24 that it held the "Gwangyang Bay Area Secondary Battery Specialized Complex Attraction Forum" on the 22nd at Conference Room 2 of the National Assembly Members' Office Building, where strategies were discussed to develop the Gwangyang Bay Area into a key hub for South Korea's K-Battery supply chain.
This forum was organized to explore concrete measures to designate the Gwangyang Bay Area as a specialized secondary battery complex. The event saw active discussions among local officials from Gwangyang, Suncheon, Yeosu, and other Gwangyang Bay Area regions, as well as representatives from companies and research institutions.
Gwangyang City held the "Gwangyang Bay Area Secondary Battery Specialized Complex Attraction Forum" on the 22nd at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, Conference Room 2, to discuss strategies for developing the Gwangyang Bay Area as a key hub in South Korea's K-Battery supply chain. Photo by Gwangyang City
During the forum, Gwangyang City emphasized that the Gwangyang Bay Area is the only region in South Korea equipped with a full-cycle ecosystem for secondary batteries. The area boasts an industrial system that covers the entire secondary battery value chain, from the production of basic raw materials such as lithium and nickel to precursor and cathode material manufacturing, and even recycling. This gives the region a competitive edge in the secondary battery industry.
The forum featured two keynote presentations and a comprehensive panel discussion. In the first presentation, Choi Jongseo, Executive Director of the Korea Battery Industry Association, introduced domestic and international trends in the secondary battery industry. In the second, Professor Jeong Kiyoung of Suncheon National University outlined the development and growth strategies for establishing the Gwangyang Bay Area as a specialized secondary battery complex.
During the subsequent panel discussion, Moon Seungil, Director of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology, served as moderator. The panel included Park Jaebeom, Senior Researcher at POSCO Research Institute, Oh Ikhyeon, President of Jeonnam Technopark, Park Chanjin, Professor at Chonnam National University, and Noh Youngtae, Director at KCL. The panelists engaged in an in-depth discussion on strategies and challenges for designating the Gwangyang Bay Area as a specialized secondary battery complex.
A city official stated, "In this era of carbon neutrality and energy transition, the secondary battery industry is a core strategic sector. The Gwangyang Bay Area is the only region with a fully developed full-cycle ecosystem for secondary batteries, and now is the most crucial time for systematic preparation."
The official added, "Through this forum, we have taken the first step toward elevating the Gwangyang Bay Area as a key hub in the K-Battery supply chain. Gwangyang City will focus all administrative resources to ensure selection in the specialized complex competition. If designated, we plan to strategically advance the secondary battery industry ecosystem by actively leveraging the institutional and policy advantages of the Opportunity Development Zone to accelerate investment attraction and business clustering."
Gwangyang City plans to use this forum as an opportunity to further solidify its case for attracting the secondary battery specialized complex to the Gwangyang Bay Area. The city will also work closely with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and related organizations to actively pursue additional designation in the basic raw materials sector of the National Strategic Advanced Industry Specialized Complex.
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