The National Institute of Animal Science's Livestock Resource Development Division's Hampyeong Relocation Project is 'Smooth Sailing'

Livestock Hub and Economic Revitalization Expected

Last May, Sang-ik Lee, the mayor of Hampyeong County, and Chang-beom Yang, the director of the National Institute of Animal Science, visited the relocation site to inspect the progress of the project. Photo by Hampyeong County

[Hampyeong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The relocation project of the National Institute of Animal Science Livestock Resource Development Department (hereinafter referred to as the Livestock Resource Development Department), which has been confirmed to move from Cheonan, Chungnam to Hampyeong, Jeonnam, is progressing smoothly as it secured a first-phase budget of 4.3 billion KRW for next year.

In particular, although the budget was not included in the initially submitted government budget proposal for next year, it is known to have been increased during the National Assembly standing committee review process, leading to an analysis that the political circles of both regions are also supporting the early relocation of the Livestock Resource Development Department.

According to Hampyeong County on the 6th, the first-year (2021) project budget of 4.3 billion KRW for the Livestock Resource Development Department’s relocation to Hampyeong passed the National Assembly plenary session yesterday.

Following the preliminary feasibility study approval by the Ministry of Science and ICT last month, and securing the entire first-year budget as national funds this time, Hampyeong County’s efforts to maximize the effects of the Livestock Resource Development Department’s relocation are also accelerating simultaneously.

The National Institute of Animal Science Livestock Resource Development Department is a smart livestock research institution under the Rural Development Administration, a national institution that researches livestock improvement, pasture, and feed.

Since 2017, the county has been promoting the relocation project for sustainable livestock resource development, and after thoroughly analyzing the relocation effects such as regional economic revitalization, it reached a final agreement with the National Institute of Animal Science in September last year on the relocation of the Livestock Resource Development Department to Hampyeong. The total project cost is 769.2 billion KRW.

From next year until 2027, the plan is to fully relocate 202 employees from four departments, including the Livestock Improvement Evaluation Division, to a 642.6-hectare area in Singwang (Sonbul) Township, Hampyeong County.

Starting from the first year next year, various service projects such as basic design and cultural heritage surveys, as well as procedures for changing the county’s urban management plan, will proceed.

In the second year, related administrative procedures such as land compensation and county management plan decision announcements will be carried out, and full-scale construction is planned to begin in 2023.

Once the Livestock Resource Development Department relocates, Hampyeong is expected to significantly strengthen the competitiveness of the local livestock industry through the establishment of a future livestock R&D foundation and customized livestock technology improvement.

In particular, if linked with ongoing projects such as the ‘Myeongam Livestock Specialized Agricultural and Industrial Complex Development Project’ and the ‘Livestock Specialized Industry Investment Leading Zone Infrastructure Development Project,’ Hampyeong can establish itself as a new center for future livestock research.

Additionally, this project is expected to act as a major boon to the stagnant local economy.

The county explains that the enormous construction costs amounting to several hundred billion KRW, when distributed locally, can produce a significant economic stimulus effect similar to expansionary fiscal policy.

The county expects that the relocation of the Livestock Resource Development Department will create new jobs such as research support personnel and that a substantial portion of the approximately 20 billion KRW annual budget of the department will be reinvested locally every year.

Lee Sang-ik, Hampyeong County Governor, said, “Thanks to the sacrifices of the residents who gave up their lifelong homes for regional development, the relocation project of the National Institute of Animal Science Livestock Resource Development Department to Hampyeong has been put on track early.” He added, “Since infrastructure improvement projects such as the construction of an access road costing about 20 billion KRW were positively reviewed in the prior feasibility study, we will focus on securing related national funds going forward and devote ourselves to preparing support measures for the relocated residents, which is the most important task.”

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