G Valley Reborn as Seoul's Largest 'Convergence Industry Complex'... Official Notice of National Industrial Complex Plan Amendment

First Establishment of G-Valley Industrial Complex Development Plan... Ensuring Public Interest through Legal Management System for Industrial Complex Management

Creation of Support Bases on Public and Private Sites

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] ‘G-Valley,’ the country’s first export-oriented national industrial complex, is being reborn as a convergence innovation urban industrial complex for the 4th Industrial Revolution era.

On the 1st, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has officially notified the change of the Korea Export (Seoul Digital) National Industrial Complex Plan and topographic map for an area of 1,922,261㎡ in Guro-dong, Guro-gu, and Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu. This plan is the first national industrial complex plan change that encompasses both the G-Valley development plan change and the development implementation plan.

G-Valley is Seoul’s largest industrial complex with about 12,000 resident companies and approximately 140,000 workers, serving as a cradle for startup companies. Seoul has prepared a national industrial complex plan that includes the first establishment of a development implementation plan along with the G-Valley development plan change, reflecting opinions from the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation, G-Valley resident companies, and local governments, which have been managing the area.

Through this change notification, Seoul plans to lay the foundation for developing the Seoul Digital Sports Ground site owned by the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation and prepare detailed development plans for phased support hub development. Taking this national industrial complex plan establishment as an opportunity, Seoul will significantly expand industrial support infrastructure lacking in G-Valley, such as industrial exchange innovation spaces, facilities supporting companies and workers, road capacity, and green spaces, while distributing them appropriately and balanced to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the industrial complex.

First, to expand support facilities for inter-company exchange and research and development in G-Valley, 13 strategic hubs have been selected and designated as special planning zones. The support hub sites target underutilized public land and aging (30 years old) private factory sites within station areas, and through detailed development plans, land use can be changed to mixed-use sites where industrial and support facilities can coexist. Additionally, to expand green spaces and create a pedestrian-friendly environment, street gardens will be created within the building setback lines, and at the 13 strategic hubs, park-type open spaces covering at least 15% of the total site area will be established.

Furthermore, specialized streets are planned along the main roads of the G-Valley complex. The main street axes of G-Valley 1, 2, and 3 complexes and the station area connection axes are designated as ‘Industrial Exchange Activation Streets’ to diversify the arrangement of low-rise buildings and activate land use. The connection axis between Gasan Digital Station in Complex 3 and Anyangcheon Stream is designated as a ‘Waterfront Connection Activation Street,’ planned to be specialized by designating recommended uses such as cafes for street activation and installing arcades.

To facilitate smooth movement of commuting populations and incoming external vehicles, the traffic system will also be supplemented and improved. To reduce congestion inside G-Valley, Seoul plans to expand the current 3-4 lanes to 5-7 lanes and promote the Doosan-gil underpass project to enable smooth communication between Complexes 2 and 3, which are separated by the Gyeongbu Line. Additionally, bicycle-only roads will be installed, and pedestrian-priority streets will be created to improve the road environment in a pedestrian-friendly manner.

Changes Expected After Establishing the Industrial Complex Plan

Hwang Bo-yeon, Director of Seoul’s Economic Policy Office, said, "Through the official notification of the Korea Export (Seoul Digital) National Industrial Complex Plan change, integrated management covering the entire G-Valley is now possible, and industrial exchange spaces, company and worker support facilities, and green spaces, which have been lacking in G-Valley, will be gradually secured, so we expect the overall G-Valley industrial ecosystem to be revitalized."

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