Kim Dongyeon Visits Ansan Science Valley: "Will Accelerate Construction if Designated as Free Economic Zone"

Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, visited the Ansan Science Valley District on December 11, ahead of its designation as a Gyeonggi Free Economic Zone, to inspect the progress of the project.

Governor Kim stated, "According to our projections, the government is likely to officially designate this area as an economic zone by the end of this month," adding, "Once designated, we will ensure the implementation of our plans without any setbacks and, if possible, accelerate the construction schedule."

He further commented, "Centered around Ansan Science Valley, the industrial landscape of Ansan will change, and so will the economic map of Gyeonggi Province."

Earlier that morning, at a communication meeting held at the site of the Ansan Line underground integrated development project, Governor Kim emphasized, "Through the designation as a free economic zone, we will transform Ansan City into a city with a growing population, an influx of young people, and a pleasant, beautiful environment."

During a meeting with tenant companies in the Ansan Science Valley District, Governor Kim said, "While supporting individual companies is important, it is even more crucial to build an ecosystem." He continued, "From production to marketing, including indirect workforce recruitment, we will focus on creating an industrial ecosystem. As we further develop our plans, we will incorporate the opinions of the companies involved."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dongyeon is speaking at a meeting with tenant companies in the Ansan Science Valley District on the 11th. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

Ansan Science Valley (ASV) is a project being developed on a 1.66 square kilometer site in Sadong, Ansan City, with an investment of 410.5 billion won, scheduled to run from 2025 to 2032. The core strategic industries are advanced robotics and manufacturing, and the area is expected to attract global companies based on its concentration of industry, academia, and research institutions such as Hanyang University ERICA, Gyeonggi Technopark, and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology.

If designated as a free economic zone, foreign direct investment will become possible, and a digital innovation transformation is anticipated for the traditionally manufacturing-focused Banwol and Sihwa National Industrial Complexes.

Since Ansan Science Valley was selected as a candidate site for the Gyeonggi Free Economic Zone in 2022, Gyeonggi Province has spent three years preparing development plans, attracting investment, and consulting with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Despite the challenges of new designations due to metropolitan area regulations, Gyeonggi Province, Ansan City, and Hanyang University have worked to refine the plans, passing the review by the Economic Free Zone Committee of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in September this year. The official announcement by the ministry is expected at the end of December.

Gyeonggi Province plans to foster ASV as a global R&D-based hub for advanced robotics and manufacturing businesses by 2032. To this end, the province is also working to establish the 'AIKing' system, which will support all stages of the business lifecycle, from startup and technology development to production, commercialization, and market entry.

Gyeonggi Province expects that, once ASV is fully established, it will generate an economic impact of 2.2 trillion won and create approximately 12,000 jobs.