The Saemangeum Development Agency said it hosted the \”Saemangeum Foodtech Hub Strategy Forum\” at the Ramada Hotel in Gunsan on the 19th.
The forum explored ways to position Saemangeum as a strategic foodtech hub amid rapid shifts in the agri-food sector.
Officials and experts from the Saemangeum Development Agency, the Rural Development Administration, the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency, the Korea Food Cluster Promotion Agency, the Korea Food Research Institute, the Jeonbuk Research Institute and Wonkwang University attended, alongside academics and industry specialists.
Delivering the keynote, Shin Jae-hoon, director of a center at the Rural Development Administration, said Saemangeum offers vast tracts of land for agricultural life sciences. Recent investments—beginning with Hyundai Motor Group—have helped attract a physical artificial intelligence (AI) industry. If that infrastructure is combined with agricultural life‑science expertise, Saemangeum could develop into a global hub for agri‑AI.
Participants agreed Saemangeum should be developed into a foodtech cluster that brings together research institutes, companies and universities, leveraging its advanced industrial sites, renewable energy infrastructure and ties to agricultural and food institutions. They also urged proactive cultivation of the hemp industry, which officials are promoting as the country’s first mega sandbox project.
An official from the Saemangeum Development Agency said foodtech is a core growth sector that will drive greater value in the agri-food industry. The agency plans to work with partner organizations to craft actionable policies and establish Saemangeum as South Korea’s foodtech center.
Reporter Jang Aeri 1601chang@viva100.com
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