Gumi-si Opens Office for Defense Industry Innovation Cluster Project Team

South Korea's Future Defense Hub

Defense Industry Association General Assembly Held

Following the selection of the Gyeongbuk·Gumi Defense Industry Innovation Cluster project, the defense industry sector is gaining momentum in Gumi, where a signing ceremony was held on the 2nd with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and Gyeongbuk Province.

On the 8th, Gumi City held the "Gumi Defense Industry Business Council (Co-Chairs: Hanwha Systems' Lee Gi-taek, LIG Nex1's Park Bae-ho) 1st Regular General Meeting" at Hotel Geumosan, attended by Mayor Kim Jang-ho, Gyeongbuk Province Deputy Governor for Economy Lee Dal-hee, City Council Chairman Ahn Joo-chan, and about 150 members and guests.

Founded last October based on 82 defense-related companies in the area, the Gumi Defense Industry Business Council now has 100 member companies as of the 8th, with high interest from businesses and ongoing inquiries about membership applications.

At the event, agenda items related to the amendment of the council's bylaws were addressed, followed by presentations on the Gyeongbuk·Gumi Defense Industry Innovation Cluster project details and introductions to local defense-related organizations. Council members congratulated the selection of the Defense Industry Innovation Cluster and pledged to actively participate in the future development of the local defense industry.

Mayor Kim Jang-ho stated, "For the past 50 years, the role of entrepreneurs has been paramount in South Korea's economy. K-Defense will open new doors of opportunity for Korea," and requested that the Gumi Defense Industry Business Council play a central and significant role in this endeavor.

Additionally, on the afternoon of the 8th, the project office for the Gyeongbuk·Gumi Defense Industry Innovation Cluster was opened on the 3rd floor of the Wearable Smart Device Commercialization Support Center within Geumo Technovalley to ensure the successful promotion and full-scale launch of the project.

The opening ceremony was attended by Mayor Kim Jang-ho, Kim Jin-hong, Director of the Defense Industry Promotion Bureau at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Lee Dal-hee, Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeongbuk Province, City Council Chairman Ahn Joo-chan, Choi Jae-won, Head of the Defense Industry Innovation Cluster Project Department at the Defense Technology Promotion Institute, and about 50 stakeholders from local academia, industry, and government.

The Gyeongbuk·Gumi Defense Industry Innovation Cluster project will invest 49.9 billion KRW (24.5 billion KRW from the national government and 25.4 billion KRW from the city) by 2027 to support the full cycle growth of small and venture defense companies through five core projects: establishing a roadmap specialized in unmanned and manned complex systems; building and operating a defense-specialized development research lab; establishing infrastructure to support specialized research, testing, and demonstration; supporting commercialization of R&D outcomes; and supporting defense startups and excellent companies' entry into the defense market.

The project team will closely collaborate with defense agencies, companies, and others to build a defense support ecosystem by performing tasks such as detailed project planning, budget and performance management, selection and management of executing agencies, and formation and operation of regional councils.

To ensure the solid implementation of the Defense Industry Innovation Cluster project, personnel will be dispatched from Gyeongbuk Province, Gumi City, Gyeongbuk Technopark, and Gumi Electronics & Information Technology Institute to the project team.

Mayor Kim Jang-ho said, "Gumi earnestly attracted the Defense Industry Innovation Cluster project. The city will actively support the project to ensure its swift and solid progress and successful implementation."

Gumi City Hall.

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