Chungcheongnam-do

▲ Open talk for Chungcheongnam-do’s 30 leading business sectors that will ensure continued growth and jobs for the country (car parts processing)

Following the news about the electric vehicle (EV) developed by Tesla, voices are raised regarding the need for technological innovation to prepare for future car markets.

No one can dispute the fact that Tesla’s successful introduction of EV to the market ushers in the era of environment-friendliness and information technology in the world’s car market, and that only the businesses that keep up with the changes can survive in the 21st Century.

On April 6, the Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Government, jointly with car parts processing businesses, started open talks for Chungcheongnam-do’s 30 leading business sectors that will ensure continued growth and jobs for the country in keeping with such changes . This year, the Provincial Government Office will continue to hold talks for 30 times to explore and develop promising industries. In 2015, similar events were held under the name Business Academy .

The Provincial Government has held open talks on U-Health Care, Hydrogen Fuel Cell System, Flexible High Resolution Display, Bio Plastic, Iron & Steel, etc., on a total of five occasions since February.

The sixth open talk held this time proceeded in the order of presentations and discussion, with 80-plus people in attendance including Governor An Heejung, Chungnam Techno Park CEO Yoon Chang-hyun, Chungcheongnam-do Economic Promotion Agency CEO Rah Younsoo, and those from the relevant businesses and universities.

In his presentation, Director Lee Sang-jun of the Automobile and Aerospace Division at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy summed up the future car markets into keywords environment and safety and cited the need for timely preparation. “The car market is expected to change depending on the environmental regulation and safety regulations adopted by countries. More industrialized countries will try to protect their domestic industries by blocking later-starting countries from entering with regulations. The reality requires us to develop core parts-related domestic businesses to cope with changes in the market,” he said.

In his speech during the discussion, Governor An stressed the need to strengthen capability based on collaboration between businesses and universities and between private and public sectors. Local universities need to enhance their capability and work with local businesses for technological development. He also cited the need to work together to build the new future for the car parts industry, which requires new ways of coping with changes in the market like environment-friendly/intelligent cars, carmakers’ expanded outsourcing for parts, formation of new markets, and economic slowdown in emerging countries.

In the period 2008-2015, the Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Government provided financial support amounting to 48.1 billion won for ten projects like active cognitive R&D establishment  and provision of support in terms of technology and commercialization of the car parts industry.

This year, the office is investing 21.8 billion won in four projects: 5.46 billion won in the development of technologies related to car parts, materials, and non-R&D sector; 9.6 billion won in the development of highly sensitive system related to outfitting/electric and electronic parts; 0.94 billion won in car outfitting parts; and 5.8 billion won in the development of core parts for vehicle safety and power transmission.