City establishes 'Innovation Growth Committee' as policy control tower; targets defense, advanced manufacturing and materials-parts-equipment ecosystem
Suncheon launched its Future New Industries Innovation Growth Committee and held a kickoff ceremony Monday for a government-industry-research collaboration project in defense technology, marking the start of what officials are calling a full-scale industrial transformation.
The industrial transformation strategy aims to build on Suncheon's reputation as a globally recognized eco-city by layering future industries onto its environmental strengths — creating a new growth engine that adds economic vitality to its ecological identity.
The city said its approach goes beyond simply attracting companies and industries. The goal is to identify industries that play to Suncheon's strengths, create quality jobs for young people, and build a virtuous cycle in which the benefits flow back to residents' daily lives.
The Innovation Growth Committee was formally launched Monday morning at the city hall conference room on the third floor, establishing a central command structure to oversee investment attraction and future industry policy.
The committee draws on field experts across five areas: defense industry, regional core industries, content and AI industries, future agricultural industries, and external cooperation.
It will directly deliberate on and act upon key tasks in Suncheon's industrial transformation — from identifying future and new businesses to responding to government R&D and competitive grant programs, and attracting companies and investment.
Rather than functioning as an advisory body that merely offers opinions, the committee is designed to operate as a hands-on governance body that translates on-the-ground problems into policy and projects. It will serve as the core engine of the city's future industry strategy under the ninth elected administration.
Also on Monday, the city held a launch ceremony at Hyundai IFC in the Yulchon industrial complex for the government-industry-research collaboration project, marking the start of the first joint initiative aimed at driving technological innovation in the industrial sector.
Suncheon city, Hyundai IFC and local companies, and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology are joining forces to develop a near-isothermal forging system and manufacturing technology for large aircraft engine components — the first step in advancing the region's manufacturing sector.
The project will receive a total of 3 billion won ($2.17 million) over five years, comprising 1.5 billion won in national funding, 500 million won in local government funding and 1 billion won in corporate contributions.
Through joint R&D, the partners aim to proactively secure production technology for large aircraft engine components — an area currently heavily dependent on overseas suppliers — while building a foundation for technology commercialization and cooperation between local companies and end users.
The city said it plans to expand joint R&D with research institutions, focusing on technologies that companies actually need in the field, and to nurture local foundational manufacturers into competitive materials, parts and equipment suppliers in the defense and advanced manufacturing sectors.
"We will leverage Suncheon's strengths as a hub city with KTX rail access, Yeosu Airport, Gwangyang steel facilities and port infrastructure to carry out an industrial transformation that makes Suncheon a city where companies want to invest, where skilled talent wants to stay, and where local businesses compete in global markets," Mayor Son Hun-mo said.
parkds@heraldcorp.com
