Uijeongbu to develop bio and AI industries on land returned by the U.S. military

【Financial News Uijeongbu=Kim Kyung-soo】Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province is moving to foster the bio, artificial intelligence (AI) and media industries and attract businesses by using sites returned by the U.S. military.
According to Uijeongbu City on the 10th, the city held the 2026 Uijeongbu Advanced Future Industries Conference the previous day at El Tower in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, with about 120 attendees, including businesses, research institutions and investors.
The event was organized to explore strategies for turning former U.S. military bases into new industrial spaces and developing Uijeongbu into a hub for the bio-convergence industry in northern Gyeonggi.
Uijeongbu Mayor Kim Won-gi gave a presentation under the theme “From a City of National Security to a City of Future Industries,” outlining plans to transform the city from a residential center into a self-sufficient city where businesses and jobs converge.
Key strategies included building a future-industry belt that makes use of the distinct characteristics of each returned site, pursuing designation of the Gyeonggi Free Economic Zone centered on Camp Red Cloud (CRC), and strengthening links with major industrial hubs in Seoul and northern Gyeonggi.
Plans were also introduced to create housing and living environments that support stable business growth and workers’ settlement in the area.
Successful examples from overseas industrial complexes were shared in the bio session. Keiko Kobayashi, head of development at the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster in Japan, and Lee Seung-gyu, vice chairman of the Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization, delivered keynote speeches, outlining the development of the global bio industry and Uijeongbu’s growth potential.
Representatives of BioLabs Japan and Shonan iPark, hubs of Japan’s bio industry, also attended in person, introducing their organizations’ operations and examples of business development, and exploring opportunities for cooperation with Uijeongbu.
An expert panel discussion moderated by Yonsei University Professor Kim Gap-seong followed, addressing the development of a regional industrial ecosystem linking AI, bio and media, as well as concrete plans for putting it into practice.
The city also partnered with businesses. It signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) that day with AI specialist maum.ai Co., Ltd., and media content company For Entertainment Co., Ltd. 

Uijeongbu Mayor Kim Won-gi said, “Uijeongbu, which has faced difficulties growing because of various regulations, is preparing to transform itself into a self-sufficient city centered on advanced future industries,” adding, “We will pursue designation as a free economic zone and create a sustainable investment environment that attracts businesses.”


[email protected] Kim Kyung-soo Reporter