Assemblyman Jang Byung-wan, Gwangju Region's Mining Industry Role 'Stands Out'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] National Assembly member Jang Byeong-wan (Gwangju Dong·Nam-gap) is illuminating the light industry in the Gwangju region.

On the 2nd, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy designated and announced the Korea Photonics Industry Promotion Association and the Korea Photonics Technology Institute in Gwangju as the dedicated agency for photonics convergence technology promotion and a specialized research institute, respectively.

This designation of the dedicated agency and specialized research institute for photonics convergence technology promotion is a follow-up measure to the "Act on the Development and Foundation Support of Photonics Convergence Technology," which was enacted and passed by Assembly member Jang Byeong-wan, who was the chairman of the Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Venture Business Committee in the first half of the 20th National Assembly.

The Gwangju Photonics Industry Promotion Association, as the dedicated agency for photonics convergence technology promotion, will establish an industry-academia-research support system for photonics convergence technology promotion and carry out corporate support activities such as policy establishment for the photonics convergence industry, information provision, and workforce development.

Additionally, the Korea Photonics Technology Institute will perform its role as a specialized research institute for the photonics convergence industry by supporting the foundation for photonics technology development and technology standardization.

Through this designation, it is expected to serve as a foundation for Gwangju’s key industries such as automobile and energy industries to converge with photonics technology and grow into future new growth industries.

At the government level, plans to foster the photonics convergence industry are being established, and photonics convergence technology is expected to be intensively developed as a national key industry beyond the Gwangju regional industry.

Assembly member Jang Byeong-wan said, “Through the designation of these dedicated agencies, the photonics industry, which had remained a simple technology-intensive industry, has taken a step forward as a new convergence industry,” adding, “Future growth engines for Gwangju in the 4th Industrial Revolution era, such as renewable energy, automobiles, and photonics industry, are steadily being prepared.”

He continued, “In 2019, the production scale of the photonics industry in the Gwangju region reached approximately 2.3005 trillion won, accounting for about 4.5% of the entire Gwangju economy,” and added, “It is expected that the designation of the dedicated agency and specialized research institute for the photonics convergence industry will greatly contribute to the development and promotion of photonics convergence technology.”

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