CHANGWON — South Gyeongsang Province has applied for designation of "urban convergence special zones" centered on defense and nuclear power industries in Changwon and on the bio and life sciences industry in Gimhae. The province said on the 2nd that it had submitted its application to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and would work toward final selection of candidate sites within the year.
The Changwon zone would be built on a 1.72 million-square-meter site around Changwon Jungang Station and Changwon National University at a cost of 847.3 billion won ($611 million). The plan combines the manufacturing capacity of the Changwon national industrial complex with research infrastructure including a national laboratory for small modular reactors, or SMRs, to concentrate research, demonstration and industrial functions for the defense and nuclear power sectors. It would also add housing for young residents along with education and startup facilities to create a self-sufficient innovation district.
The Gimhae zone would cover 260,000 square meters around Jangyu Station at a cost of 166.3 billion won ($120 million). Along with a hub for innovation in bio, life sciences and advanced manufacturing, the plan calls for housing tailored to young adults and a history and culture park, developing an integrated industrial and residential district linked to the wide-area transit network at Jangyu Station.
The Changwon site was designated a national and regional strategic project in February last year, giving it a policy foundation.
Five major cities nationwide, including in South Gyeongsang Province, are competing in the ministry's call for applications. The ministry will name candidate sites within the year based on a comprehensive review of the need for designation, the soundness of the plans and their feasibility.
The province said it had strengthened its plans with advice from the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements and the Korea Land & Housing Corporation, and would support Changwon and Gimhae through the document review and on-site inspections that begin in September.
"Changwon and Gimhae are presenting differentiated models for urban convergence zones based on their specialized local industries and existing industrial, research and transportation infrastructure," said Jang Jae-hyuk, director general of the province's urban housing bureau. "We will treat the application not as an end but as a beginning, respond thoroughly to the evaluation and do our best to win final selection within the year."
