Gwangyang City to Hold Forum on Fostering Secondary Battery Industry in Gwangyang Bay Area

Promotion of Designation of Opportunity Development Zones as a National Policy Task

Gwangyang City in Jeollanam-do announced that it will hold a forum to establish a foundation for creating an ecosystem for the secondary battery strategic industry and to develop plans for designation as an Opportunity Development Zone.

On the 20th at 2 PM, the city will host a discussion at the city hall's main conference room, jointly organized by Jeollanam-do, Gwangyang City, and National Assembly member Seo Dong-yong, to foster the secondary battery materials industry by leveraging the unique conditions of the Gwangyang Bay area.

[Photo provided by Gwangyang-si]

The forum will feature keynote presentations by Professor Oh Moon-sung of Hanyang Women’s University, who conceptualized the initial model of the Opportunity Development Zone as part of the current national balanced development policy, and Senior Researcher Park Jae-beom of POSCO Management Research Institute, who has been involved in secondary battery materials industry research and strategy development at POSCO Group since 2011.

Professor Oh Moon-sung will present on strategies for designating the Opportunity Development Zone, analyzing the unique conditions of Gwangyang City and strategies for successful designation, while Senior Researcher Park Jae-beom will discuss plans for fostering and advancing the secondary battery materials industry in the Gwangyang Bay area, offering a corporate perspective on the city.

Following the keynote presentations, a panel discussion will continue with representatives from the Korea Battery Industry Association, POSCO Future M, other secondary battery materials-related organizations and companies, as well as officials from Gwangyang City and Jeollanam-do.

The forum is open to any interested companies, organizations, or citizens, providing an opportunity to glimpse Gwangyang City’s development direction and vision.

Jo Sun-mi, Head of the New Industry Division, stated, “Gwangyang City is continuing cooperation and communication to foster the secondary battery strategic industry in the Gwangyang Bay area as a priority project. At this time, the interest and support of related organizations, companies, and citizens are essential.”

Meanwhile, in line with the passage of the “Special Act on Local Decentralization and Regional Balanced Development” on May 25, Gwangyang City is actively responding by initiating a project for the designation of the “Gwangyang Bay Area Secondary Battery Specialized Complex (Special Zone) and Ecosystem Establishment,” which is a core national agenda of the current government for Opportunity Development Zone designation.

The Opportunity Development Zone is a special zone aimed at promoting investment outside the metropolitan area. Governors of non-metropolitan provinces apply to the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, and after review and resolution by the Local Era Committee, the final selection is made.

Companies investing in the Opportunity Development Zone receive exceptional tax benefits including reductions in corporate tax, income tax, property tax, and acquisition tax, along with administrative support such as rapid regulatory confirmation, test exemptions, and temporary permits, encouraging corporate relocation to local areas and promoting regional investment expansion.

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

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