Sejong City Designated as a Special Opportunity Zone, Boosting Advanced Industry Growth

Three advanced industry hubs in Sejong City—the Smart National Industrial Complex (Yeonseo-myeon), Jeondong General Industrial Complex (Jeondong-myeon), and Urban High-Tech Industrial Complex (Jiphyeon-dong)—have been officially designated as Special Opportunity Zones.

Special Opportunity Zones are a key policy initiative of the current government’s regional revitalisation strategy. The programme promotes large-scale investment in regional areas by offering corporate tax reductions, regulatory exemptions, and other incentives to companies relocating, starting up, or expanding within these zones.

Among the newly designated areas, the Urban High-Tech Industrial Complex, selected as a Technology Innovation District, will focus on core industries such as Information Technology (IT), Biotechnology (BT), Environmental Technology (ET), Information Security, and Quantum Technologies. The city plans to actively support research and development (R&D) in the area to foster the establishment and growth of high-tech companies.

Meanwhile, the Smart National Industrial Complex and Jeondong General Industrial Complex, designated as Advanced Materials and Components Commercialisation Districts, aim to attract businesses specialising in future mobility and biotechnology. These areas will also serve as manufacturing and commercialisation hubs linked with neighbouring regions—mobility in South Chungcheong Province, biotechnology in North Chungcheong Province, and R&D in Daejeon.

Prior to the Special Opportunity Zone designation, the city secured investments totaling €473 million from ten leading anchor companies. Beginning next year, Sejong plans to leverage the Special Opportunity Zone framework to intensify its corporate attraction efforts.

In the Advanced Materials and Components Commercialisation Districts, the city has already attracted companies such as Chemtronics Co., Shinshin Pharmaceutical Co., and Korea United Pharm. Meanwhile, the Technology Innovation District has secured companies like Korea Information Technology Group, Alice Group, and Rainbow Robotics.

Sejong City anticipates that this designation will stimulate additional regional investments, promote the creation of high-quality jobs preferred by young professionals, and inject new energy into the local economy.

Furthermore, the city plans to integrate the Special Opportunity Zone initiative with the Educational Development Zone pilot programme launched in July. This synergy aims to revolutionise regional education, creating a sustainable cycle where local talent developed through innovative education can secure stable employment within the region.

With this designation, Sejong City is laying a foundation for the growth of its advanced industries and is committed to maximising the impact of corporate investments within the Smart National Industrial Complex.