Masan Forum Policy Seminar ... Experts Collaborate on Digital Free Trade Zones and More

Changwon Special City, Masan Area Industrial Complex
Presentation on Measures to Revitalize Vitality

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam, attended the '2024 Masan Forum Policy Seminar' held on the 30th at the 3.15 Art Center International Conference Hall, where he presented measures to revitalize the Masan industrial complex and discussed various plans for Masan's development with citizens from all walks of life.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, is attending the Masan Forum and giving a presentation.

Hosted by the Masan Forum, this seminar was organized to review the current status and future plans of key projects that will brighten Masan's future and to explore development strategies linked to these projects.

Following keynote presentations by Ryu Hyojong, Director of Planning and Coordination Office of Changwon City, and Professor Lee Jungkyung of Gyeongnam National University, discussions were held with Professor Cho Youngtae of Changwon National University, Professor Hong Junghyo of Gyeongnam National University, Jeon Jeonghyun, CEO of Korea Electronics Technology, and Yoon Bonghyun, former chairman of Masan City Council.

As the first presenter, Director Ryu explained in detail the future blueprint and upcoming schedule for Masan, which will be newly transformed through the digital Masan Free Trade Zone, designated nationwide for the first time on the 25th, the national industrial complex designation of the existing free trade zone, and the city’s ongoing efforts to upgrade the Jungni and Bongam industrial complexes, under the theme of revitalizing the Masan industrial complex.

He emphasized that the designation of the digital Masan Free Trade Zone guarantees resident companies the freedom to engage in manufacturing, logistics, distribution, and trade activities. Moreover, with the addition of the digital characteristic, Masan will create new growth engines by concentrating D.N.A (Data, Network, AI) companies suitable for the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, rather than focusing solely on traditional manufacturing industries.

Professor Lee Jungkyung of Gyeongnam National University gave a presentation on nurturing talent for the sustainable growth of the industrial complex. He pointed out that although manufacturing is transforming into unmanned factories combining AI, software, and robotics, the existing university system and curricula have failed to keep pace with industrial changes.

As a result, the shortage of innovative talent in IT and software industries is accelerating. To address this, he stressed that industry-academia-research-government collaboration must establish new curricula tailored to the needs of companies and develop a system to nurture and supply the required talent.

Mayor Hong Nampyo of Changwon Special City, who attended the event, stated, “2024 will be the year when a new turning point begins for Masan, which has been experiencing stagnation. By organically linking the newly established Digital Free Trade Zone, the national industrial complex designation of the Masan Free Trade Zone, and the upgrading of the Bongam and Jungni industrial complexes, we will maximize synergy and create new growth engines to lead Masan’s future through the convergence of manufacturing and D.N.A industries.”

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