Gyeongsangbuk-do plans to create "Aero Techno Valley" by investing a total of 350 billion won over the next five years through 2015, the head of the province said.
"We will build a test and appraisal center for aviation electronic parts and systems in Yeongcheon, a military city in the province, to create Aero Techno Valley," said Kim Kwan-yong, governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do.
"Along with this, we will create a specialized center for development, design and production of aviation parts and an education and assistance center to improve aircraft maintenance ability in the city," he said.
Related to this, the province plans to hold the 2010 Gyeongbuk International Aero Forum at Gyeongju Hilton Hotel for a two day run from Sept. 7 with the expected attendance of a number of Korean and foreign experts on the future aviation parts industry.
Noting that Gyeongbuk boasts of one of the world's best IT industry infrastructures, including electronics and metal, Kim said, "The province also possesses a strong foundation for the aviation industry in the country, including airports in Daegu, Pohang, Yecheon and Uljin, and Air Force Logistics Command, and the 11th and 16th Fighter Wings."
"By making the best use of such geographical merits, we will actively foster the aviation electricity & electronics parts industry centering on military supplies with high growth potential as the new growth engines. Related to this, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Air Force Logistics Command concluded a business agreement to foster the aerospace industry," he said.
International science business belt
Creation of an international science business belt is one of the core state-run projects propelled by President Lee Myung-bak, along with the four-river restoration project.
"Gyeongbuk is equipped with the nation's main industries, including IT, parts materials, steel, medical service, automobiles and shipbuilding, and such giant science bases as a light accelerator in Pohang, a proton accelerator in Gyeongju, a state-run nano technology integration center, and an intelligence robot research center," he said.
"At the same time, it has 49 universities, including Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSCTECH), the nation's representative science technology school, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology (DGIST), and Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology. By linking these bases for industries, science and talents, we can create the nation's most ideal international science business belt in Gyeongbuk," said the governor.
In line with this, 10 institutions, including Daegu Metropolitan City, Pohang City, Daegyeong Research Center, POSCTECH and DGIST, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Gyeongbuk in March this year.
New airport in the nation's southeastern area
Commenting that construction of a new airport in the nation's southeastern area is an important key for balanced regional development, the governor said, "It is a very important infrastructure project to attract competitive domestic and foreign companies, create jobs, and invite foreign buyers."
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Marine Affairs is moving to select a final location for the new airport in the nation's southeastern area in the first half of next year.
"Related to this, we already established the new airport propulsion headquarters and will stage a campaign to gather over 10 million signatures to build the new airport in Miryang," he said.
Blueprint of Gyeongbuk's culture contents industry
Governor Kim said, "The global economy in the future will be a creative economy combining culture and technology. The contents industry, which is preferred by youths, also has a structure combining knowledge and creative ideas.
"Accordingly, Gyeongsangbuk-do plans to ferret out digital culture contents on cultural properties, local tales, legends and natural scenery, and open an imaginary space to help visitors experience culture by building culture contents 3D functional games," he said.
"To do so," the governor continues, "We are now building the Gyeongbuk culture contents support center by spending more than 19.4 billion won through 2012," said Kim.
Nuclear-powered science industrial belt
Facilities for nuclear power generation, disposal of wastes, and research are located in Gyeongbuk. Half of the nation's 20 nuclear power plants are located in Gyeongbuk and a proton accelerator is now being built.
"Based on the foundation, our province aims to build a nuclear-powered science industrial belt, which will lead the upcoming era of nuclear power. In a detailed step, we plan to attract the No. 2 nuclear research center, which will become the center for study of fourth-generation nuclear systems, and establish an international nuclear functional manpower education center and a graduate school of nuclear power," he said.
"Along with this, we project to strengthen international competitiveness in the nuclear field by creating a nuclear export industrial estate and a nuclear power theme park in Gyeongbuk," said the governor.
Attraction of investment from both home and abroad
Noting that attracting domestic and foreign investment is very important for regional development, Kim said, "Over the past four years, we attracted companies with total sales turnover of 12.4 trillion won and created some 98,000 jobs.
"Recently, we made an upward adjustment of the attraction goal to 20 trillion won. To achieve the ambitious target, all employees of the provincial office, including me, will make doubled efforts with service spirit," he said.
"First of all, we will create a favorable corporate climate where all enterprises can concentrate on their business without any difficulty. Secondly, we will create an industrial estate equipped with good infrastructure on a land of 12 million pyeong. Thirdly, we will set up a foreign school and top-class high schools. Finally, we will make a strong push for the improvement of many systems, including an offering of incentives, easing of various regulations hampering corporate activity, and tax cuts, to create a favorable investment climate," he added.
