The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has selected Inje-gun in Gangwon Province through its 2026 investment-leading district designation program.
The selection puts Inje-gun on track to build a second Wontong agro-industrial complex as the foundation for developing future industries in the region.
Wontong has long carried a melancholy association with its name, making this state-backed development a welcome turn not only for local residents but also for the many who have served at nearby military posts and their families.
The investment-leading district program is designed to stimulate private investment and foster regional growth hubs by leveraging each area's strategic industries and specialized resources. Designated districts receive a range of administrative and fiscal benefits, including regulatory exemptions and infrastructure development support.
Inje-gun was selected as a development-promotion type investment-leading district and will receive 5 billion won ($3.22 million) in national funding, giving the county the fiscal backing needed to build infrastructure and advance the project.
The designation allows Inje-gun to move forward with the second Wontong agro-industrial complex project, which carries a total budget of 50 billion won. The site, located in Wontong-ri, Buk-myeon, Inje-gun, spans approximately 198,000 square meters and will be developed with industrial lots, infrastructure and support facilities to attract businesses and strengthen the region's industrial competitiveness.
Inje-gun plans to break ground in January 2028 and aims to complete the complex by December 2031, accelerating business attraction and expanding the industrial base.
Along with the national funding, the investment-leading district designation brings additional benefits — including streamlined approval procedures for the industrial complex implementation plan, regulatory exemptions and support for tenant companies — all of which are expected to speed up the project considerably.
Inje-gun intends to build an industrial ecosystem around the second Wontong agro-industrial complex that draws on the region's distinctive characteristics, attract quality businesses, create new jobs and lay the groundwork for economic revitalization and population growth.
The county also plans to complete the formal investment-leading district designation process without delay and wrap up follow-up administrative steps, including drafting the implementation plan, as quickly as possible.
"This selection as an investment-leading district is a meaningful achievement — recognition by the central government of the second Wontong agro-industrial complex's growth potential and Inje-gun's future development strategy," said Shin Seon-mi, head of the county's economic and industrial affairs division. "We will work hard to successfully advance the project, create a business-friendly industrial environment, generate quality jobs and revitalize the local economy."
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