South Korean Prime Minister Han Sung-sook (한성숙) visited Saemangeum as her first stop in North Jeolla province since taking office and discussed support for Hyundai Motor Group investment and measures to foster the physical AI and robotics industries.

Han held the "Saemangeum Investment Activation Corporate Meeting" on July 24, attended by tenant companies in Saemangeum, physical AI-related companies and experts, officials from relevant ministries and the North Jeolla Special Self-Governing Province.

The meeting was arranged to hear difficulties companies face during the Saemangeum investment process and to foster the physical AI and robotics industries on the back of Hyundai Motor Group's investment.

Attendees included representatives of Saemangeum investor companies such as Hyundai Motor, Doosan Fuel Cell, OCISE, PKC, Cheonbo BLS and EpiCamTech, as well as physical AI-related firms including DH Autolead and Daeseung Precision. From the government, officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency attended.

In opening remarks, Han said, "Seeing the vast Saemangeum, a land of opportunity and a core base for future advanced industries, I feel limitless potential and at the same time a heavy sense of responsibility."

She added that in the past there was a perception that expectations for Saemangeum were high but progress was slow. She stressed that now, beyond secondary batteries and advanced materials, Hyundai Motor Group's announcement of a large-scale investment is drawing a big picture for Saemangeum as a base for advanced strategic industries including robots and AI, hydrogen and renewable energy.

At the meeting, the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency introduced the status of Saemangeum development and corporate support measures. Hyundai Motor 발표ed its investment plan for Saemangeum and future 추진 direction. The Ministry of Science and ICT introduced government support measures for physical AI, while the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy introduced measures to foster the robotics industry ecosystem. Participating companies called for improvements in licensing and permit procedures, expansion of industrial infrastructure, securing specialised talent and expanded research and development support.

The government will pursue changes to the Saemangeum master plan focusing on a concrete development blueprint for the next 10 years, rather than the existing long-term plan through 2050. Immediately after the announcement of Hyundai Motor Group's investment plan, it will set up a pan-government support system and 추진 follow-up tasks by preparing a comprehensive government support plan centred on a prime minister-led "Saemangeum-North Jeolla Grand Innovation Task Force (TF)."

Han said it will actively support corporate activities with the mindset that when companies invest, the government runs together, and when regions grow, South Korea grows together. She said opinions presented at the meeting will be used to shape Saemangeum policies and to make Hyundai Motor's investment visible at an early stage.

Han also said Hyundai Motor Group's 9 trillion won investment plan is "the start of the direction Saemangeum must take." She stressed that how many times and how many tens of times the scale of future corporate investment becomes depends on the roles of the government, companies and the region.

After the meeting, Han visited Zone 7 of the Saemangeum industrial complex, the site planned for Hyundai Motor's investment, and checked the status of industrial complex development and the development plan. The government plans to foster Saemangeum as a global advanced industrial base where industries such as secondary batteries, AI, robotics, hydrogen and renewable energy are clustered, and to support Hyundai Motor Group's investment becoming visible at an early stage.