Hoengseong, e-Mobility Research and Demonstration Complex Commencement Ceremony Held
3 national projects confirmed, 82.1 billion won invested by 2024

Gangwon-do Hoengseong announced that it will create an e-mobility industry ecosystem by establishing a one-stop support system from vehicle technology development to performance testing, verification and certification support, and parts supply.

Gangwon-do and Hoengseong-gun announced that they will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the 'e-Mobility Research and Demonstration Complex' in Mukgye-ri, Hoengseong-gun on the 20th and begin construction of the complex in earnest.

About 200 people attended this groundbreaking ceremony, including Director of the Industrial Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Joo Young-joon, Gangwon-do Governor Kim Jin-tae, Hoengseong-gun Mayor Kim Myeong-gi, National Assembly members Yoo Sang-beom and Noh Yong-ho, Korea Road Traffic Authority Chairman Lee Ju-min, provincial and county council members, and local residents. Through reports on the progress of the e-mobility research and demonstration complex, a groundbreaking performance, and declaration of the vision for fostering an e-mobility-centered city, the first step toward making a leap forward as an e-mobility-centered city was taken.

The e-mobility research and demonstration complex is a key infrastructure for the e-mobility industry that Gangwon-do and Hoengseong-gun are strategically fostering to expand the electric vehicle market in line with the government's goal of becoming one of the top three auto industry powers through the 'Global Top 3 Auto Industry Strategy'.

Currently, three national projects, including the e-mobility business support center, have been confirmed and a total of 82.1 billion won will be invested to create them by 2024.It's a stroke.

The e-Mobility Enterprise Support Center plans to invest KRW 48 billion (KRW 240 billion from the national budget and KRW 240 billion from the provincial budget) by 2023 to build a two-story enterprise support center (four buildings), electric vehicle testing and evaluation certification support equipment, and a driving track (PG) for vehicle driving tests.

In addition, a one-story light commercial special purpose prototype vehicle production support center will be established to support the commercialization of electric cargo electric vehicles weighing less than 1 ton and modules for vehicles by investing a total of 25 billion won (12.5 billion won from the national government and 12.5 billion won from the provincial government) by 2023.

Here, a one-stop support system will be established within the e-mobility research and demonstration complex, capable of everything from technology development to performance testing, demonstration, prototype vehicle production, and parts procurement.

In addition, we are also carrying out tasks such as standardization and process development for evaluating AI safe driving capabilities of autonomous vehicles, which are the core of future mobility, by utilizing the driving track (PG).

This project is a project of the National Police Agency (led by the Road Traffic Authority) that will invest 9.1 billion won (6 billion won from the national government, 2.5 billion won from the provincial government, and 6 billion won from the private sector) by 2024 to build evaluation equipment and develop and verify AI driving ability evaluation scenarios (virtual environment, PG, actual road) to lay the foundation for the introduction of an autonomous driving driver's license system.

Gangwon-do and Hoengseong-gun plan to create an e-mobility industry ecosystem by establishing the Hoengseong Ucheon General Industrial Complex as an e-mobility production and manufacturing base through the establishment of a production plant and a test track, the e-mobility knowledge industry center as an education base for inspection and maintenance, and the e-mobility research and demonstration complex being built in Mukgye-ri as a testing, evaluation, and certification base.

Along with the research and demonstration complex that is being launched this time, the electric vehicle production plant (DPICO Co., Ltd.) in the Hoengseong Ucheon Industrial Complex, which is currently producing and selling) and the surrounding areas that Hoengseong-gun is planning and preparing, the e-mobility industry infrastructure and related ecosystem are expected to be established, generating KRW 61.4 billion in production inducement, KRW 20 billion in added value, and 391 jobs by 2023, and by 2027, it is projected that the effects of generating KRW 110.8 billion in production inducement, KRW 36.2 billion in added value, and 706 jobs will be generated.

Gangwon Province Governor Kim Jin-tae said, “As the demand for electric vehicle testing, evaluation, and certification has been steadily increasing due to the expansion of electric vehicle distribution, I believe that we will be able to spur the creation of an e-mobility industry ecosystem by establishing a research and demonstration complex.” He added, “Starting with the e-mobility research and demonstration complex, we will spare no support in accelerating various linked projects so that Gangwon Province and Hoengseong County can become the true hub of the e-mobility industry.”