Muan designated as candidate for national industrial complex

The South Korean government has designated a 1.05 million-pyeong area in Hyeon-gyeong-myeon, Muan County, as a candidate site for a specialized distributed energy national industrial complex. This move aims to transform Muan’s economy from agriculture and services toward advanced manufacturing, specifically focusing on semiconductor materials, components, and equipment (소부장), energy new industries, and logistics.

The industrial complex is designed to function as a logistics and supply chain hub for the Gwangju semiconductor cluster. By utilizing renewable energy resources like offshore wind and solar, the site intends to establish a distributed energy system that reduces grid strain and attracts energy-intensive semiconductor firms. The plan leverages Muan International Airport and regional transportation networks to secure competitive logistics capabilities.

Parallel to this industrial development, the relocation of the Gwangju military airport to Muan is progressing, though it faces financial hurdles. While Muan has been selected as a candidate site, the success of the relocation depends on securing a 1 trillion won support package. A key challenge is the uncertainty regarding 640 billion won originally intended from the donation-and-transfer project, as the planned semiconductor cluster on the former airport site has altered the projected land value. Authorities are currently discussing ways to bridge this gap through national and local government funds.