"As a Role Model for National Balanced Development"... Gyeongsangnam-do Divides Western Gyeongnam into 3 Major Zones and 6 Industrial Belts

Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government Building Exterior View

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jucheol In] Gyeongsangnam-do announced on the 17th that it will systematically promote the development strategy for Western Gyeongnam and achieve balanced regional development by establishing and developing three major zones and six industrial belts.

The three major zones group geographically close cities and counties into one space, dividing them into the ‘Namjung Central Urban Zone,’ ‘Baekdudaegan Mountain Urban Zone,’ and ‘South Coast Namjung Urban Zone.’ The Namjung Central Urban Zone combines Jinju, Sacheon, Goseong, and Uiryeong areas to focus on fostering related industries for creating a flying mobility hub and establishing the K-Artemis forward base.

Gyeongnam will also build a permanent e-sports stadium to develop the gaming industry linked with the metaverse alongside the younger generation. The Baekdudaegan Mountain Urban Zone groups Sancheong, Hamyang, Geochang, and Hapcheon areas adjacent to Jirisan Mountain. It will focus on fostering related industries such as creating a southern inland logistics hub, establishing a global elevator hub city, and building a Jirisan herbal distribution center.

The South Coast Namjung Urban Zone groups Namhae and Hadong, which face the southern coast, to promote regional development by advancing the early construction of the Namhae-Yeosu Undersea Tunnel and implementing CO2 capture, utilization, and storage technology demonstration projects. The newly established six industrial belts either mediate industries indigenous to Western Gyeongnam or connect industries on a metropolitan scale including Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam.

The belts built around indigenous industries include the ‘Smart Green Bio Belt,’ which mediates the anti-aging industry, and the ‘Advanced Safety Industry Cooperation Belt,’ which fosters future-oriented safety industries centered on the National Land Safety Demonstration Center established in the Gyeongnam Innovation City. The belts connected on a metropolitan scale include the ‘National Innovation Belt,’ ‘Southern Region Metropolitan Tourism Belt,’ and ‘Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Hydrogen Integrated Economic Belt.’

The National Innovation Belt creates a new industrial ecosystem linking relocated institutions, local universities, and companies through innovation cities located in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region, while the Southern Region Metropolitan Tourism Belt revitalizes the regional economy by jointly utilizing excellent tourism resources in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam area.

The Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Hydrogen Integrated Economic Belt specializes functions and roles using various hydrogen industry infrastructures in the region to build a hydrogen mobility ecosystem. The ‘Advanced Materials Belt,’ connecting Gyeongnam, Busan, and Jeonnam, fosters a high-performance elastic materials industry ecosystem linked to the specialized industries of the three regions.

Kim Young-seon, head of the Western Policy Division of Gyeongnam Province, said, “Along with improving the metropolitan transportation network, we are establishing concrete execution plans for the entire Western Gyeongnam region to grow and connect together,” adding, “We will thoroughly implement strategies to create spaces so that Western Gyeongnam becomes a model for national balanced development and a central city in the southern region.”

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