Changwon Special City Embarks as a Northeast Asian Maritime Port Logistics Hub with Three Trade Ports

Mayor Hong Nampyo, "Focusing Efforts on Designating Logistics Innovation Zones and Developing Port Hinterland Complexes to Lead Southeast Region's Innovative Growth"

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam is solidifying a strong foundation for its leap forward as a leading maritime city in Northeast Asia, boasting future growth engines such as the sea, a 313 km coastline, and three trade ports, establishing itself as a central hub for maritime port logistics.

Perspective view of the Myeongdong Marina Port Development Project.

This year’s key promotion goals include ▲establishing a foundation as a leading city in port and logistics industries ▲creating a global marine leisure tourism hub city ▲revitalizing fishing villages and strengthening the competitiveness of the fisheries industry, executing future-oriented policies that will serve as the cornerstone of Changwon’s innovative growth.

The city is proactively responding to the designation of a logistics innovation special zone for the creation of international logistics hubs such as Jinhae New Port and Gadukdo New Airport, as well as the establishment of a national smart logistics platform, by conducting a “Logistics Innovation Special Zone Establishment Plan Study” based on the Changwon-centered tri-port.

Through this, Changwon will secure government persuasion arguments supporting the necessity to expand the Jinhae New Port hinterland area as specified in the 4th Comprehensive Plan for Port Hinterland Development by discovering specific cases of regulatory relaxation suited to local conditions and conducting demand surveys for the hinterland complex, and actively reflect these in national plans.

Also, with the early commencement of construction on nine berths at Jinhae New Port this year, the city plans to strengthen cooperation with the government to ensure smooth development of Jinhae New Port, operate a public-private consultative body to minimize damage to residents near the new port, and actively support the enactment of a “Special Act on Support for Affected Areas.”

In preparation for the creation of new jobs in the smart port and logistics sectors, the city will establish a systematic roadmap for training specialized personnel in ports and logistics and actively promote professional workforce development projects.

This year, the city will complete the “Changwon Coastline-Linked Marine Policy Basic Plan” to leverage the advantage of its long 313 km coastline and seek new growth engines in urban marine tourism and leisure industries.

By reviewing megatrends and policy directions, presenting planning directions for the Masan Bay Grand Design, and planning the designation of tourism special zones linked to the coastline, Changwon will complete its first-ever marine policy basic plan that responds to changing port and marine trends, aiming to transform the city’s coastal areas into distinctive global landmarks.

Waterfront (waterside) development for citizens will be actively promoted around Jinhae Port and Jinhae-ru area.

This year, selected for the Admiral Yi Sun-sin Victory Site Pilgrimage Trail project promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the city secured 340 million KRW in national funding to establish an implementation plan for a total of 7 km of coastal walking trails around Jinhae Port and to carry out coastal maintenance projects including the creation of a 150 m waterside embankment in the Jinhae-ru coastal area.

Major marine tourism infrastructure projects representing the city will also be rapidly advanced this year.

The Gusan Marine Tourism Complex Development Project, which laid the groundwork for normalization last year through conditional project approval by the Central Land Expropriation Committee, will actively implement plans to revitalize the project this year.

The Jinhae Myeongdong Marina Port Development Project is scheduled to complete site formation construction by March, while architectural projects such as the clubhouse and onshore mooring facilities are currently in the design phase.

Hong Nam-pyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, stated, “We will focus our capabilities on the designation of the logistics innovation special zone and the development of port hinterland complexes to secure economic benefits from the opening of Jinhae New Port and Gadukdo New Airport, establishing Changwon as a strategic hub leading innovative growth in the Southeast region, and concentrate administrative power to rise as a central city for marine leisure tourism in the South Coast area.”

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