Gumi City, Emerging as a Food Tech Industry Hub... Advancing as a Center for K-Food

Smart Manufacturing Innovation
Expansion of Global Exports
Development of Sales Channels for Local Agricultural Products

Gumi City in Gyeongbuk is strengthening industrial competitiveness by making the food tech industry a new growth engine.

Kim Jang-ho, Mayor of Gumi (fifth from the left), is applauding with officials while posing for a commemorative photo after signing a business agreement with Kim Hak-hong, Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeongbuk Province, for the establishment of the National Food Tech Cluster.

To this end, the city will actively promote the establishment of a food tech smart manufacturing base and the development of a K-Food Service commercialization model, while also expanding support for local agricultural and food companies to enter the global market.

◆ Fostering the Food Tech Industry to Innovate Smart Manufacturing and the Food Service Industry

From 2025, Gumi will implement the ‘Food Tech Smart Manufacturing Base Establishment Project’ (with a budget of 5.8 billion KRW) and the ‘K-Food Service Commercialization Model Development and Demonstration Project’ (with a budget of 175 million KRW).

The Food Tech Smart Manufacturing Base Establishment Project focuses on supporting 28 local food manufacturing and processing companies by introducing AI and big data-based smart factory equipment and automation systems to enhance productivity and technological competitiveness.

◆ K-Food Service Commercialization Model Development and Demonstration Project

This program develops and applies new technologies through collaboration between food tech companies and food service businesses, aiming to solve on-site issues in the food service industry and maximize operational efficiency.

◆ Significantly Expanding Export Support Targeting the Global Market

To assist local agricultural and food companies in entering overseas markets, the city has allocated 637 million KRW, more than double last year’s 295 million KRW, to implement various export support measures.

Specifically, these include ▲support for overseas promotion of agricultural and food products (70 million KRW) ▲strengthening export brand competitiveness (20 million KRW) ▲support for agricultural and food safety (236 million KRW) ▲enhancement of traditional food brand competitiveness (40 million KRW) ▲support for tasting event supplies (20 million KRW) ▲research on processed food development (100 million KRW).

In particular, this year, a new initiative called the ‘Gumi City Agricultural and Food Trade Delegation’ will be formed to actively pioneer global markets through discovering overseas buyers, promotional events, and market research.

Strengthening Promotion of Local Agricultural Products and Hosting the Gumi Agricultural Products Grand Festival

To widely promote the excellence of local agricultural products and expand sales channels, the city will hold the ‘Gumi Agricultural Products Grand Festival’ in connection with ‘Seonsan Jangnal,’ the largest traditional market in Gyeongbuk, from October to November.

At the event, local agricultural and specialty products will be offered at affordable prices, and specially discounted ‘Gumi Hanwoo’ beef will also be sold. Additionally, cultural events such as ‘Visiting Concerts’ will be combined to provide diverse entertainment for residents and visitors.

Kim Jang-ho, Mayor of Gumi, stated, “Comprehensive support from production to distribution and food tech is necessary to secure the sustainability of the agricultural and food industry. We will do our best to establish Gumi as a key hub city for K-Food.”

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