 |
| President Moon Jae-in speaks during a ceremony to launch an electric vehicle cluster in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, Thursday. Yonhap |
By Do Je-hae
President Moon Jae-in traveled to Gunsan, 200 km southwest of Seoul, Thursday, to announce his plan to establish a cluster for future cars to advance the regional economy.
"Now, a new cluster of electric vehicles (EVs) is being created in Gunsan and Saemangeum. With an investment of 412.2 billion won by 2022, over 1,900 jobs are expected to be created," Moon said during a signing ceremony at the Myungsin Press for the EV cluster, which will consist of five regional companies producing electric cars, buses, trucks and carts.
Cheong Wa Dae explained that the plan is part of Moon's regional job creation model for the nation, after Gwangju, Miryang, Daegu, Gumi and Hoengseong, Gangwon Province. The Gunsan job model is aimed at reviving the regional economy, which has suffered in the wake of the closure of big companies formerly based in the region, such as GM and Hyundai Heavy Industries, which closed its Gunsan shipyard. After GM's pullout, the region lost 2,800 jobs.
The presidential office is hoping the Gunsan model will help create more employment in the region and lift the employment rate of jobseekers in their 40s in particular.
Moon said that the model was significant in that it signals the transition of Gunsan's key industry to electric cars, which the President has eyed as a core component in the nation's new economic leap. "The government announced its vision recently to become a leader in future cars by 2030. The global EV market is expected to grow more than sevenfold from $64 billion in 2018 to $525 billion in 2030. The Gunsan jobs model will go beyond the nation to become the global frontrunner in the era of EVs. Gunsan is the best place to foster EVs," he said.
"Gunsan's exports more than tripled from about $1 billion in 2001 to $7.4 billion in 10 years, taking up more than half of North Jeolla Province's exports. Once the new port of Saemangeum and international airport are completed, the best logistics infrastructure will be built to export EVs to China and Europe, the biggest electric vehicle markets, along with Gunsan Port."
He also noted the competitiveness of smaller companies in the region. "Another strength of Gunsan lies in the small but strong companies," Moon said. "They boast an unrivaled competitive edge in almost all items, including electric cars, buses and trucks."
The trip to the southwestern industrial city comes as the President has been underlining his focus on the economy ahead of the general election in 2020. He has made several trips to regional areas this month, such as South Chungcheong and Gyeonggi provinces, to participate in engagements with Samsung and Hyundai.
