Gwangju Employers Federation: "Economic and Industrial Response Strategies Needed for Administrative Integration"

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The Gwangju Employers Federation announced on January 27 that, as discussions on the administrative integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam have recently gained momentum, it is also necessary to actively seek economic and industrial response strategies accordingly.

The Gwangju Employers Federation stated, "The administrative integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam is an essential task for the era of major transformation, addressing changes in industrial structure, easing overcrowding in the Seoul metropolitan area, and responding to the climate crisis." The federation explained, "Currently, both regions have launched a task force to begin full-scale discussions, and as they are moving toward the name 'Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City,' they are holding public hearings with residents and by industry sector in a rotating manner."

The federation continued, "In terms of economic and industrial impact, administrative integration is expected to strengthen industrial competitiveness through economies of scale, and 51.5% of local residents cited this as the main reason for their support. However, concerns have been raised about the decline of traditional manufacturing and urban-centric development, while cost savings in administration and the efficiency of public services are cited as expected benefits."

The main tasks are divided into industrial development, balanced regional growth, and new industries. The core strategies for industrial development include prioritizing support for national high-tech strategic industries and introducing a mega sandbox. For balanced development, 32.3% supported the establishment of special districts and special laws for the eastern region. In addition, new industries were identified as AI (artificial intelligence), wind power, and growth based on the automotive sector.

The Gwangju Employers Federation emphasized, "Special provisions in the special law should be broadly reviewed to support industrial transformation, including energy (agrivoltaics), agriculture, fisheries and livestock (cluster establishment), specialized semiconductor complexes, AI mega clusters, and automotive (mobility) concentration complexes." The federation added, "While the administrative integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam is expected to expand quality jobs and increase income in the labor market, concerns persist over the continued outflow of young people."

Yang Jinseok, Chairman of the Gwangju Employers Federation, stated, "Integration will make it easier to attract national budgets and government projects, and by distributing the semiconductor, AI (artificial intelligence), and energy industries across three major regions, we aim to promote joint growth in 27 cities, counties, and districts. The expansion of metropolitan transportation networks and infrastructure investment is also expected to reduce transportation costs and increase youth employment."

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