Holding of the Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone Association Meeting

2021 First Half Business Performance and Second Half Business Promotion Plan Report

[Gwangyang=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] The Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone Association Council (Chairman Oh Ha-geun) announced on the 20th that it held the 122nd Association Council extraordinary meeting on the 19th at the Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone Authority (Commissioner Song Sang-rak).

This extraordinary meeting focused mainly on the first half performance and future plans regarding the major business reports at the beginning of the year.

The Gwangyang Economic Authority reported that in the first half of the year, it achieved investment attraction of 1.2 trillion KRW from 16 companies, creating 677 jobs. In particular, the industrial complex sales performance reached 646,000㎡, marking the highest record in the past five years.

After the executive branch's business report, the association members posed sharp questions on key issues.

Vice Chairman Lee Jeong-hoon urged further efforts to revitalize investment attraction in the Hadong district and specifically requested steady progress on the ongoing research project to devise revitalization plans for the Galsaman Shipbuilding Industrial Complex, whose development was halted due to the bankruptcy of the project operator in 2018.

Committee member Kim Tae-gyun called for the Gwangyang Economic Authority to prepare support measures to generate new cargo volumes at Gwangyang Port and to increase the sales rate of the Hwanggeum Industrial Complex. He also advised expanding departments responsible for the current main industries in the Gwangyang Bay area, such as steel and chemicals, during the organizational restructuring of the Gwangyang Economic Authority in the second half of the year.

Committee member Lee Kwang-il actively requested resolving complaints from nearby residents regarding the design of the Gyeongdo Bridge access road, which differs from the original basic plan, and emphasized the need for sufficient prior explanations to prevent residents from harboring doubts.

Chairman Oh presided over the association meeting and thoroughly reviewed several issues repeatedly mentioned in previous meetings, including complaints about the construction of a complex building in the Suncheon Shindae district, land compensation complaints related to the Seonwol High Park Complex development, and the exclusion of Haeryong-myeon residents during the Gwangyang Aluminum tenant agreement.

He stated that since the projects currently underway or to be promoted have an absolute impact on the region, the Gwangyang Economic Authority should serve not merely as a simple licensing and permitting agency but as an institution dedicated to the welfare enhancement of the residents of the Gwangyang Bay area.

He also reiterated the importance of strengthening communication with residents during project implementation to build consensus.

Gwangyang=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr

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