Wonju, in Gangwon Province, has declared itself the ideal location for the Gangwon Global Industry and Trade Organization — a campaign pledge of Gov. Woo Sang-ho — and has begun formal preparations to secure the body's placement in the city.
According to Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province and Wonju city officials Friday, the province is reviewing plans to establish the organization by January in fulfillment of Woo's campaign pledge. The body would be dedicated to supporting exports by provincial companies, along with global marketing and overseas promotion.
Wonju accounts for roughly 40 percent of the province's total exports, making it the largest export hub in Gangwon. Last year, Wonju's exports reached $1.21 billion — the largest share of the province's total $3.06 billion in exports.
Wonju is home to Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province's core strategic industries, including medical devices, auto parts and AI, and has built competitive strength as a global export base for the food industry, including K-ramyun.
The city's broad administrative and fiscal support infrastructure for export-oriented companies adds further to its case.
"If the trade organization is established in Wonju, where a large number of export companies are concentrated, it will be possible to move beyond supply-side administrative support and deliver on-the-ground trade assistance that quickly reflects the actual needs of businesses," the city said, adding that the move would "effectively support provincial companies' entry into overseas markets, expand exports and further strengthen the overall export competitiveness of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province."
Wonju Mayor Gu Ja-yeol said the city would "actively work to bring the Gangwon Global Industry and Trade Organization to Wonju, leveraging the city's industrial base and export capacity to support provincial companies' advance into overseas markets and enhance the future competitiveness of Gangwon's exports."
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