Call for proposals for regeneration projects at 3 aging industrial complexes; bonus points for local areas and solar support

[Financial News] With nearly four out of every 10 industrial complexes nationwide having begun construction more than 20 years ago, the government is selecting three new sites for projects to revamp aging complexes.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 27th, the ministry has opened applications for sites for its 2026 Regeneration Project for Aging Industrial Complexes. It will accept proposals from local governments through Nov. 24. After review by an expert evaluation committee, three sites will be selected in December. 
This year’s call for proposals will focus on three priorities. First, it will address the safety and convenience of workers at industrial complexes. To ensure fire engines can reach older factories quickly in the event of a fire, the program will support road widening to secure access routes and the construction of parking lots. If a parking-only building is constructed, the space beyond the parking area can also be used for support facilities such as cafes, libraries, and sports and cultural facilities. The program will also encourage green transformation (GX). The plan is to help address the climate crisis by supporting the installation of renewable energy facilities, such as solar power, alongside improvements to infrastructure including roads, parking lots and parks.
Finally, to promote balanced growth, bonus points will be awarded during evaluations based on the “local-area preference index.” The aim is to give priority to local governments that have a strong need to upgrade aging industrial complexes but struggle to organize projects because of poor economic and social conditions. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety developed the index as a regional balanced-growth measure, taking into account factors including distance from Seoul, the level of regional development and the risk of regional decline.
The aging of industrial complexes is expected to accelerate further. At the end of last year, 520 (38%) of the nation’s 1,370 industrial complexes had begun construction more than 20 years earlier. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport expects that share to rise to 52% (757 complexes) in 2030 and 63% (995 complexes) in 2035. The number of aging complexes has steadily increased since the first industrial complex was established in the 1960s, and the pace is expected to quicken from the late 2020s. The ministry believes that these complexes, which have supported national economic growth and balanced development, urgently need to be revamped to adapt to the changing industrial environment.
Park Ji-hong, head of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Land and Urban Affairs Office, said, “Rebuilding aging industrial complexes that have driven economic growth to meet the needs of the future industrial environment is an important task in achieving a major transformation of the national territory and balanced growth. We will work to comprehensively improve industrial infrastructure and working conditions, promote corporate investment and innovation, and ensure these efforts lead to regional growth.”

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