Nearly 1 Trillion Won in Investments and 6,000 Jobs Pour into Busan!

Mayor Park Heongjoon Visits Construction Sites in Gangseo-gu
Inspection of Lotte Shopping CFC, BGF Retail, and Coupang Logistics Centers
Seeking to Create an Optimal Investment Environment and Local Job Opportunities

Investments totaling 1 trillion won and the creation of 6,000 jobs are pouring into the Gangseo area of Busan.

On July 1, Busan City (Mayor Park Heongjoon) will visit, in succession, the construction sites of the Lotte Shopping Automated Logistics Center (CFC), the BGF Retail Logistics Center, and the Coupang Logistics Center, all located in Gangseo-gu. The purpose of these visits is to directly inspect the progress of large-scale investment projects and to initiate communication aimed at strengthening the virtuous cycle of local job creation.

This site visit was organized as the city, positioning itself as a "global hub city ideal for business," accelerates its efforts to attract large-scale investments. By visiting the actual construction sites of companies that have made investments, the city aims to listen to feedback on creating the optimal investment environment and job opportunities, and to seek mutual cooperation measures.

The city has been carrying out customized investment promotion activities, including a comprehensive revision of the ordinance for promoting corporate and investment attraction, assigning dedicated officials to each business site, providing location support, and expediting permits and approvals. These regulatory and administrative support efforts have resulted in attracting investments totaling 11.5 trillion won over the past three years of the eighth popularly elected administration, steadily laying the groundwork for Busan’s future industries.

At the first site visited, the Lotte Shopping Automated Logistics Center (CFC), Kang Sung-hyun, CEO of Lotte Shopping Mart and Super, accompanied the tour. At this location, Mayor Park was briefed on Lotte’s vision for its online grocery business and discussed strategies for future co-growth between Busan and Lotte.

The Lotte Shopping Automated Logistics Center is the first facility in Korea to introduce the UK-based "Ocado System." It features advanced refrigerated, frozen, and ambient logistics systems based on robotics and artificial intelligence technology. The facility, with a total floor area of 41,000 square meters, received an investment of approximately 200 billion won. Construction began immediately after the signing of a business agreement in March 2023 and is scheduled for completion in August this year. It is expected to create about 2,000 new jobs in production management, on-site operations, and delivery.

The BGF Retail Logistics Center, visited next, is the largest logistics facility owned by the company, with a total floor area of 128,000 square meters and an investment of 260 billion won. Following the signing of an MOU in August 2021, the company is working to establish a differentiated convenience store logistics system, targeting commencement of operations next year. As a forward base for the global expansion of K-convenience stores, it is expected to generate 800 local jobs.

The Coupang Logistics Center will have a total floor area of 198,000 square meters and a total project cost of 300 billion won. It will feature a state-of-the-art logistics system based on AI and big data. Construction began after the signing of an MOU in June 2021, with completion scheduled for the second half of 2026. Upon completion, about 3,000 new jobs are expected to be created.

Alongside these major investments, the city estimates that it will be able to secure 6,000 jobs by attracting approximately 980 billion won in capital to Gangseo-gu alone in recent times. Nongshim, which signed an investment memorandum of understanding in October last year, began construction in May on a new export-only production plant at its Noksan factory site in Gangseo-gu. This facility, which will receive an investment of about 220 billion won, will incorporate AI-based smart factory technology and is expected to be completed in 2026, creating 150 new jobs. Nongshim plans to operate this plant as a forward base for exporting "K-ramyeon."

Mayor Park Heongjoon stated, "These large-scale investment sites are a representative example of the eighth administration’s philosophy of making Busan a city that is ideal for doing business." He emphasized, "Based on Busan’s top-tier logistics infrastructure and administrative support system, we will further strengthen the virtuous cycle of private investment and job creation, lead innovation, and establish a foundation for future new growth."

Busan City Hall.

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