To Revitalize the 'Hangman Baehu Danji'... Providing 'Land Free of Charge' for a Certain Period

Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, 'Measures to Revitalize Port Hinterland Complexes'

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The government has decided to provide benefits such as free land use for a certain period to tenant companies in order to promote value-added logistics activities in 'port hinterland complexes.'

On the 11th, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced the 'Port Hinterland Complex Revitalization Plan' containing these details.

Recently, due to the global open economy, removal of trade barriers, and increased international logistics activities, port spaces have become more advanced and tenant companies more diverse. Accordingly, Korea has been establishing and supplying port hinterland complexes at major trade ports since 2006 to enhance the added value of ports and activate related industries. However, the role of port hinterland complexes has mainly been limited to port support functions, making it difficult to create quality jobs and high value-added cargo.

In response, under the policy goal of transforming port hinterland complexes into industrial spaces that generate added value and jobs, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries compiled opinions from local governments, related organizations, and tenant companies to establish this revitalization plan.

First, to foster port hinterland complexes as hubs for high value-added logistics activities, the ministry plans to proactively identify promising items and companies capable of handling everything from raw material imports to finished product exports, strategically attract companies through port-specific target marketing, and provide benefits such as free land use for a certain period, rent reductions, and lease term extensions.

To timely attract excellent international companies, the selection methods for tenant companies will be diversified, including the introduction of a demand-driven business proposal system. Additionally, the entry restrictions within free trade zones on manufacturing and processing industries such as agriculture, livestock, and forestry products will be lifted, and qualifications for manufacturing companies will be relaxed to improve the port hinterland complex environment.

Job creation tailored to regional industries and port characteristics will also be promoted. Specialized zones will be designated and operated for each port and hinterland complex, and local government participation will be expanded. To enhance synergy among related industries, specialized zones will be designated for each port and hinterland complex, and port authorities will be allowed to autonomously determine tenant company selection methods.

To maximize job creation linked to regional industries, the role of local governments will be expanded throughout the entire process from supply to operation of hinterland complexes, and pilot projects will be conducted to attract companies centered on local governments in some areas. Furthermore, pilot private development and sales projects will be promoted in ports with high private investment demand such as Incheon, Pyeongtaek-Dangjin, and Busan, and hinterland complexes will be gradually expanded and supplied (29.7 million square meters) by 2030 considering port-specific demand.

Along with this, consultative bodies among related organizations will be established for each port, and integrated administrative services will be provided by designating dedicated personnel for each company at management institutions such as port authorities to enable on-site tailored support. Also, a pan-government support platform will be established to efficiently operate support programs for tenant companies that are currently run separately by ministries and agencies, and support programs necessary for tenant companies and workers will be developed to support stable business activities and innovative growth.

Kim Jun-seok, Director of the Shipping and Logistics Bureau at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "We will develop the function of port hinterland complexes into complex logistics hubs rather than simple logistics bases, fostering them as key industrial spaces that create regional jobs and cargo volume." He added, "We will continue to actively listen to the voices of tenant companies and cooperate with local governments and port authorities to create successful cases of job creation through port hinterland complexes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.