South Jeolla-Gwangju free economic zone set for expansion

South Jeolla-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City is pushing to add 4.52 million square meters of industrial land in the Hampyeong and Jangseong areas to its free economic zone to attract semiconductor partner firms and foreign investors.

The South Jeolla-Gwangju Free Economic Zone currently covers 2.03 million square meters, with 72 percent of lots already sold and only about 570,000 square meters remaining. The shortage prompted the decision to seek an expansion.

Authorities determined that available industrial land is insufficient to meet new investment demand from partner companies and foreign firms tied to the development of a national semiconductor industrial complex.

The city plans to incorporate 2.22 million square meters in the Hampyeong area within the Bitgreen Industrial Complex and 2.3 million square meters in the Jangseong area within Cheomdan District 3 into the free economic zone.

Detailed consultations with the relevant counties have been completed. The city has set a target of finishing the expanded designation by 2027, pending a review by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and other required procedures.

Separately, the city also plans to complete development plans and submit designation applications to the ministry by 2027 for an additional 3.84 million square meters — comprising 3.38 million square meters for a national future-vehicle industrial complex and 460,000 square meters for a medical-specialized general industrial complex.

In total, the free economic zone expansion under consideration covers 8.36 million square meters. The city aims to complete the designation of the Hampyeong-Jangseong areas next year, while targeting the submission of designation applications for the future-vehicle and medical industrial complexes by the same deadline.

The city said it will also consider further expanding the free economic zone in coordination with its broader industrial complex development plans if demand from foreign investors continues to grow.

Through these efforts, the city aims to strengthen ties with anchor companies in the southwestern semiconductor cluster and foster regional strategic industries including semiconductors, future vehicles and medical technology.

In connection with the national semiconductor industrial complex, the city is also developing a "semiconductor triangle" strategy linking Gwangju's semiconductor industry with materials and components producers in the eastern part of the region and renewable energy sources in the west.

To address the housing needs of semiconductor industry workers, the city plans to develop the Sanjeong district as a live-work family residential hub and build a multi-node residential city centered on 30-minute living zones equipped with education, medical and cultural facilities.