The Gwangju High-Tech National Industrial Complex started by focusing on the photonics industry to grow into the country’s leading photonics industry cluster. Since then, the complex temporarily faced difficulties due to fierce price competition with China, but upgraded itself by leveraging its accumulated photonics technology and seeking convergence with other fields such as medicine and electronic devices.

Among the fourteen industrial complexes located in the Gwangju area (one national industrial complex, eight general industrial complexes, one agro-industrial complex, and two undeveloped complexes), the Gwangju High-Tech National Industrial Complex is the largest in size, housing 42% of all companies operating in the fourteen industrial complexes. After being designated as a national industrial complex in 1990, the complex saw the construction of the first section completed in December 1998, followed by the second section in December 2012. The complex is also a great place to live in as it is conveniently located and connected to Bitgoeul-daero—one of the city’s major highways—and has a well-developed commercial district.

For these reasons, the number of companies operating in the Gwangju High-Tech National Industrial Complex is steadily increasing: there were 1,506 tenants in 2020, 1,695 in 2021, 2,072 in 2022, and 2,194 in 2023. In the past year, the complex produced KRW 6.98 trillion, exported USD 2.97 billion, and had 18,612 employees. Among the fourteen industrial complexes in Gwangju, the complex ranked second in export volume (accounting for 35.6%) and the number of employees (accounting for 27.5%).

The future of the Gwangju High-Tech National Industrial Complex is focused on high-tech development. From 2022 to the present, the Smart Green Industrial Complex project has completed the Smart Integrated Control Center, the Smart Energy Platform, and the Smart Talent Training Project, and the Center for Joint Research and Utilization of Distributed Energy will be completed soon. The construction of a smart logistics platform and energy self-sufficient infrastructure is also scheduled to be completed next month. The solid preparation makes the future of the complex all the more promising. It is attracting passionate young people who are eager to dream and succeed. This must be why the Gwangju High-Tech National Industrial Complex is transforming into a young and creative center of high-tech industries.

The number of companies specializing in high-tech industries, such as IT and AI, is rapidly increasing in the large-scale Knowledge Industry Center located within the industrial complex. In response to surging demand, the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation as the managing authority of the complex renovated dilapidated spaces and installed amenities while creating spaces for startups to develop and test new technologies. Since then, the Gwangju High-Tech National Industrial Complex saw a dramatic change in its industrial structure, which was concentrated on high-tech manufacturing. It has been transformed into a young industrial complex focused on ICT and knowledge industries.

The majority of the companies operating in the complex are small and medium-sized enterprises. Another factor that makes the complex attractive to small and medium-sized enterprises is the wide variety of research institutes and organizations supporting them. They can also benefit from innovative institutions and research institutes and facilities that provide public functions, such as the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation, Gwangju Techno Park, the Korea Photonics Technology Institute, the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, and the Korea Electronics Technology Institute.

The Gwangju High-Tech National Industrial Complex is also a hot spot among the younger generation thanks to High-tech Siridan-gil, a street bustling with famous cafes and restaurants. As the complex is also a popular residential area, the workers are highly satisfied with their workplaces and contributing to the high vitality of the complex. Being a smart and hip space where young people can dream, work, and enjoy life: this must be the ultimate goal of the industrial complexes of the future. In that sense, the future of the Gwangju High-Tech National Industrial Complex is bright as it is headed toward that direction.