President Lee Jae-myung directed the creation of RE100 (100% renewable energy) national industrial complexes and instructed to consider so-called "regulation-free" zones. The Presidential Office is preparing a special law related to the RE100 national industrial complex and has a plan to pass it in the regular National Assembly session in September. The RE100 industrial complex, with SuNam and Ulsan as candidate sites, is expected to create a type of "energy new city" in the region.
Kim Yong-beom, Deputy Minister of the Presidential Office, held a briefing at the Presidential Office in Yongsan on the afternoon of the 10th and said, "I reported the plan for promoting the RE100 industrial complex to the President." It appears that Deputy Minister Kim personally attended the briefing, as President Lee has emphasized RE100 since the presidential election.
Deputy Minister Kim noted, "The reason we prioritize the promotion of the RE100 industrial complex as a core policy agenda is that it aligns with the President's key governance philosophy of energy transformation and balanced regional development." He also stated, "To transport the produced renewable energy to the metropolitan area, substantial expansion of transmission networks is necessary, which requires a lot of expense and time."
He explained, "The concept is to redesign Korea's industrial map through the RE100 industrial complex and to attract advanced companies to areas rich in renewable energy, allowing for their full utilization." He added, "The RE100 industrial complex will expand into an energy new city and play a foundational role in revitalizing the local economy."
The government plans to create a task force (TF) involving the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and will detail its contents. It is also reviewing the establishment of a special law related to the creation of the RE100 industrial complex, aiming to pass it in the regular National Assembly session in September. Candidate regions such as SuNam and Ulsan will consider ▲ large-scale development of renewable energy ▲ rebuilding incentives for attracting corporations ▲ and establishing residency requirements to attract the youth.
Deputy Minister Kim stated, "We will create a basic special law for the RE100 industrial complex, ensuring that resident corporations meet 100% of RE100 requirements." He added, "Since candidate sites need to concentrate on renewable energy generation sources, places like SuNam and Ulsan, where offshore wind and solar energy are being developed extensively, will be advantageous for industrial complexes."
He emphasized, "Since we are in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) and power has become significantly more important than before, it must be guaranteed that corporations can receive power at low prices." He noted, "We are considering measures to solve intermittency by massively expanding ESS (energy storage systems) in the region."
Regarding the composition of the energy new city, he remarked, "Whether domestic or overseas, if several large corporations settle in the area, the economy will develop centered around 'anchor corporations.'" He expressed hope that related corporations would gather naturally to create the new city.