South Jeolla Province's Goheung to get 1.52 million-square-meter national industrial complex for space launch vehicles

South Korea has finalized plans for a national industrial complex spanning 1.51 million square meters in Goheung-gun, South Jeolla Province, designated as a space industry launch vehicle cluster. Land compensation procedures are set to begin in 2027, with Hanwha Aerospace and other aerospace manufacturing and parts companies expected to move in.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport convened the Central Industrial Complex Planning Deliberation Committee on Tuesday and confirmed the development plan for the Goheung Space Launch Vehicle National Industrial Complex, locking in the types of industries to be attracted and the land-use scheme.

The complex will be built at a cost of 172.9 billion won ($131 million) in the Bongnae-myeon area of Goheung-gun, covering 1,519,660 square meters. It is divided into two zones: the larger Zone 2, at 1,059,345 square meters, will house research facilities of the Agency for Defense Development, while Zone 1 will accommodate aerospace manufacturing and parts industries.

In March 2024, move-in agreements were signed with 11 anchor and startup companies, including Hanwha Aerospace and Innospace. Korea Land and Housing Corporation holds a 70 percent stake as the project developer, with Jeonnam Development Corporation holding the remaining 30 percent.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to push ahead with the national industrial complex project at pace, launching land compensation procedures next year with the goal of completing the complex by 2032.

Goheung-gun, which has built up a space launch vehicle industrial base around the Naro Space Center, was designated a space industry launch vehicle cluster in December 2022. A private-use launch pad overseen by the Korea AeroSpace Administration is scheduled to be completed near the complex by 2027, and if research facilities linked to the Defense Space Test Center are also established within the complex, officials expect a joint public-private space industry ecosystem to take shape.

"The Goheung Space Launch Vehicle National Industrial Complex is expected to generate 295.8 billion won in production and create 1,673 jobs during the construction phase alone," said Park Ji-hong, director general of the Land and Urban Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "Building a hub for space launch vehicle manufacturing and research in Goheung — home to the country's only launch site — will create synergies for nurturing the aerospace industry and secure future growth engines grounded in advanced industry."

Park added that the ministry would work to ensure the complex is successfully developed through close coordination with nearby industrial and research institutions, including the Naro Space Center, the private launch pad and the Defense Space Test Center.