GWANGJU < invest Korea

According to Newsis,

[Gwangju = Newsis] Reporter Ryu Hyung-geun - Gwangju City is promoting the advancement of specialized complexes to strengthen the competitiveness of root industries, which serve as the foundation for the region's major industries such as automobiles and home appliances.

Gwangju City announced on the 11th that it deliberated and resolved on major agenda items through discussions at the Root Industry Specialized Complex Steering Committee, including applying for the new designation of a "Welding Specialized Complex" in Pyeongdong Industrial Complex, applying for a public contest for a "Mold Specialized Complex" support project, and applying for the cancellation of the "Eco-friendly Surface Treatment Specialized Complex."

Following the discussion, the city will apply to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resource(MOTIR) on the 13th for the new designation of the "Welding Root Industry Specialized Complex" within the Pyeongdong General Industrial Complex.

Welding and joining are core processes for the future mobility and home appliance industries, which are the region's key sectors. If designated as a specialized complex, it is expected to facilitate cooperation and technological innovation among related companies. Furthermore, after designation, a foundation will be established to receive government funding for the construction of joint utilization facilities and joint innovation activities.

The city also plans to apply for a public contest for the "Mold Specialized Complex Support Project" to strengthen the competitiveness of the mold industry.

The core of this project is to foster human resources based on AI Transformation (AX) and Digital Transformation (DX) and to support data-based joint marketing, aiming to strengthen the digital capabilities of local mold companies and expand their entry into the global market.

In particular, with the shortage of manpower deepening—as the number of local mold design personnel has decreased by 60 percent over the past five years—the city plans to simultaneously promote the cultivation of professional manpower and industrial competitiveness through the mold specialized complex support project.

Gwangju City decided to cancel the "Eco-friendly Surface Treatment Specialized Complex," which has been designated and operating since 2018, considering changes in corporate conditions.

Kim Il-tae, Chairman of the Specialized Complex Steering Committee, stated, "Root industries are core infrastructure industries that determine the quality of Gwangju's main industries, automobiles and home appliances," and added, "These agenda items will serve as an opportunity for local root companies to transition into a smart industrial structure suitable for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) era."

◎ NEWSIS, hgryu77@newsis.com



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Source Text

Source: Newsis (March 11, 2026)

** This article was translated from Korean.