South Chungcheong Province has entered the competition for "National Advanced Strategic Industry Special Zone" designation to secure leadership in the secondary battery industry, which has emerged as a key driver of the nation's future economy.
The provincial government announced on the 3rd that it signed a "Cooperation Agreement for National Advanced Strategic Industry Special Zone Designation" with four northwestern cities—Cheonan, Asan, Seosan, and Dangjin—along with 16 domestic and international companies, universities, and research institutions leading the secondary battery industry.
The initiative aims to build a joint response system encompassing industry, academia, research, and government to gain competitive advantage in the government competition and establish a "South Chungcheong-style secondary battery industrial ecosystem."
Participants in the agreement include leading battery materials companies such as Umicore Korea Battery Materials, Hana Materials, Seohae Green Chemical, and Songwoo EM, as well as Dankook University, Hoseo University, Hanseo University, Shinsung University, Chungnam Techno Park, Korea Automotive Technology Institute (KATECH), and Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL).
The parties established six areas of cooperation: joint response for zone designation, public-private governance for sustainable operations, site and facility support for business locations, technology development and commercialization support, customized talent cultivation and regional recruitment, and additional investment attraction with regional co-prosperity models.
The province aims to enhance core battery technology competitiveness to reduce dependence on China-centered global supply chains while proving its industrial, workforce, and locational competitiveness against existing battery special zones in Cheongju, Ulsan, Pohang, and Saemangeum.
According to the province's development plan, the project will be implemented from this year through 2034, centered on the northwestern region including Cheonan, Asan, Seosan, and Dangjin. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's special zone competition—targeting robotics, defense, and secondary battery sectors—aims for new designations in the second half of 2026, with fierce competition expected among local governments.
Once designated as a special zone, tenant companies can receive various administrative and institutional benefits including technology development and export promotion support, expedited permits, infrastructure expansion, and fee reductions. The province expects this will significantly boost corporate growth and investment attraction.
A provincial official said, "Through industry-academia-research-government cooperation, we will maximize the province's secondary battery industry potential and spare no effort in supporting South Chungcheong to establish itself as a core hub of Korea's secondary battery industry by gaining competitive advantage in the government competition process."