25% Reduction in Carbon Emissions... Saemangeum, First 'Smart Green Industrial Complex'

Minister Byeon Chang-heum of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport visited the Saemangeum project area in Jeollabuk-do on February 24th to inspect the progress of the Saemangeum project together with related organizations such as the Saemangeum Development Agency and Saemangeum Development Corporation. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] From now on, industrial complexes will be developed as 'Smart Green Industrial Complexes' that reduce carbon emissions by more than 25% from the development stage.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport confirmed the 'Smart Green Industrial Complex Promotion Strategy' containing this content at the 33rd Emergency Economic Central Countermeasures Headquarters meeting and the 11th Korean New Deal Ministerial Meeting on the 7th.

So far, the transition to smart green has been promoted centered on individual companies or existing industrial complexes, but the government judged that it is important to create smart green industrial complexes from the new development stage to accelerate the transition to a digital and green economy and realize carbon neutrality.

The smart green industrial complexes will be promoted targeting national industrial complexes and nationally designated urban high-tech industrial complexes where business effects are expected to be significant. A total of 2 to 3 sites, including the Saemangeum Industrial Complex, are planned to be developed.

Saemangeum is growing as an innovation hub for renewable energy by producing large-scale renewable energy of 7GW in the region and promoting related demonstration projects.

Utilizing these conditions, the plan is to establish the first domestic smart green industrial complex in Saemangeum where RE100 is realized, presenting a leading model.

Along with this, 1 to 2 additional project sites will be selected in July based on proposals from local governments for nationally designated industrial complexes. The additional project sites will be developed as expansion models of smart green industrial complexes aiming to reduce carbon emissions by more than 25%.

After establishing smart green industrial complexes, the government aims to designate a total of 35 smart green industrial complexes by 2030 by diversifying stakeholders and project scopes.

The government will promptly support administrative procedures such as various plan approvals. Smart and green support for tenant companies will be provided in a customized manner for each industrial complex by linking projects promoted by each ministry.

When developing industrial complexes, incentives such as tax benefits and reductions in environmental charges will be prepared to create smart green industrial complexes that consider both the local economy and the environment.

Research and development (R&D) tasks related to smart green technologies requiring demonstration by each ministry will be integrated into smart green industrial complexes to be used as test beds, and technology development will be supported by concentrating technologies that need commercialization.

Baek Won-guk, Director of Land Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, emphasized, "We will establish the first domestic smart green industrial complex in Saemangeum where RE100 is realized and spread its achievements so that industrial complexes can become hubs for the Korean New Deal and carbon neutrality."

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