Jeonbuk Accelerates Shift from Commercial Vehicle Industry to Future Mobility

Promotion of Specialized Cluster for Parts and Materials
and Establishment of Battery Evaluation Center

Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province is accelerating its advancement as a cutting-edge industrial hub by detailing strategies to transform its commercial vehicle-centric industrial structure into a future mobility industry. The core of this initiative is to simultaneously pursue electrification, secure independence in key components, build verification infrastructure, and promote ultra-wide-area cooperative projects.

On April 22, the Jeonbuk provincial government announced plans to establish a "specialized cluster for electrified mobility parts and materials," building on the region's competitive edge in commercial vehicle-based industries. Jeonbuk accounts for 97% of the nation’s commercial vehicle production and boasts an industrial structure connecting finished vehicle manufacturing in Wanju and Gunsan, special-purpose vehicle production in Gimje, material and electronic parts manufacturing in Jeonju and Iksan, and demonstration/export functions in Saemangeum.

However, the transition to electric commercial vehicles has been slow due to battery capacity limitations, while hydrogen commercial vehicles face delays stemming from inadequate charging infrastructure. In addition, as efforts to establish the Saemangeum Robot Cluster are underway, there is an increasing need for existing parts companies to transform their businesses and upgrade their technologies.

Accordingly, the province plans to pursue designation as the "Specialized Cluster for Electrified Mobility Parts and Materials for Commercial Vehicles," a project under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. A total project budget of 150 billion won (110 billion won in national funding, 28 billion won in local funding, and 12 billion won in private funding) will be invested over five years from 2026 to 2030.

The plan is to establish a system for building electronic parts infrastructure, research and development, business support, and workforce training within industrial complexes spanning a 40km radius around Wanju Technovalley. A consortium has been formed with participation from the Automotive Convergence Technology Institute, Jeonbuk Research Institute, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Korea Electronics Technology Institute, and CAMTIC Advanced Technology Institute. The province submitted its proposal on April 22, and after evaluation, the designation decision is expected in July.

Plans are also in place to simultaneously construct verification infrastructure to expand the electrification base. The "Performance and Safety Evaluation Test Center for Multi-Battery Systems for Electric Commercial Vehicles" project aims to build the nation’s first facility to verify multi-battery systems. Due to their characteristics, electric commercial vehicles use between two and seven batteries simultaneously, but comprehensive evaluation infrastructure has been lacking.

This project was selected in a Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy competition, and a total of 21.8 billion won will be invested by December 2030 (9.8 billion won in national funding, 4.8 billion won from the province, and 7.2 billion won from Gunsan City). The plan calls for constructing a 1,261-square-meter evaluation center and installing six types of equipment at the Future Mobility Tech Center in the Saemangeum National Industrial Complex in Gunsan, where testing and evaluation services will be offered to companies. Final administrative procedures are underway, with an agreement signing targeted for May.

Through the "Development of Smart All-in-One Dredging Special-Purpose Vehicle Technology Equipped with Multifunctional Robots" project, the province will develop intelligent special-purpose vehicles that combine robotics, big data, and automation technologies. The aim is to build a system that integrates underground pipeline inspection, dredging, and cleaning, thereby improving the efficiency of underground infrastructure management and enhancing work safety.

This project is funded with a total of 8.8 billion won (4.6 billion won in national funding, 2 billion won in local funding, and 2.2 billion won in private investment). A consortium including Jeonbuk, Gyeongbuk, and Gwangju was selected for the "Mega City Linked Cooperation Project," enabling Jeonbuk to secure 2.3 billion won in national funding. The project is expected to advance the special-purpose vehicle industry, prevent industrial accidents, and improve on-site operational efficiency.

Yang Sunhwa, Director of the Future Advanced Industry Bureau of Jeonbuk Province, stated, "Designation as a specialized cluster for parts and materials will be a decisive turning point for Jeonbuk’s automotive parts companies to transition into electrified and robotics parts firms. By linking with ongoing projects such as the Multi-Battery Center and smart all-in-one dredging special-purpose vehicle technology development, we will continue to solidify the foundation for Jeonbuk’s future mobility industry."

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