Gwangju Metropolitan City and 21 Companies Sign Investment Agreements Worth 164.9 Billion KRW
- Core Strategic Industries, Including Automotive, AI, and Energy, Expected to Create 750 Jobs
- Mayor Kang Ki-Jung: “Maximum support for leading companies in regional development and future industries.”
Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor: Kang Ki-Jung) signed an investment agreement (MOU) with 21 companies among Gwangju’s core strategic industries, including the automotive, artificial intelligence (AI), energy, and medical industries, in the Business Room of City Hall on February 7, 2025.
The city of Gwangju expects to achieve an investment amount of 164.9 billion KRW and create more than 750 jobs through this initiative.
The signing ceremony, co-hosted by Gwangju Metropolitan City and the Gwangju Free Economic Zone Authority, was attended by Mayor Kang Ki-Jung; Seon Seok-Ki, Gwangju Free Economic Zone Authority Commissioner; Choi Tae-Jo, Director of the AI Industry Office; and representatives of the investment companies.
A total of 21 companies signed the investment agreement, including 19 domestic companies (13 in Gwangju and six in other regions) and two overseas companies (one in the U.S. and one returning to Korea).
The industries include nine companies in artificial intelligence (AI) convergence R&D; five automobile-related companies, such as automobile parts and vehicle equipment manufacturing; three energy-related companies, such as ESS (energy storage system) manufacturing; and four other companies, including companies in the areas of medicine and beauty, optical equipment, and refrigeration equipment manufacturing; all of which belong to Gwangju’s core strategic industries.
OTOM Co. Ltd., a leading company that started with medical X-ray technology and provides industrial parts detection CT and AI diagnostic solutions, plans to expand and relocate its factory to keep pace with the exponential growth of domestic and global portable/automated X-ray markets.
DH Autoware Co. Ltd. is a specialized manufacturer of automotive electronics components established in 1979 and will relocate its factory in Qingdao, China, to Bitgreen Industrial Complex under this investment agreement. The company plans to invest 63 billion KRW to produce LCD panels and COF modules for automotive electronics for global markets. DH Autoware decided to relocate its Pyeongtaek plant to Gwangju in 2023, and the investment amounts to about 100 billion KRW, including the investment under this agreement.
SOS Lab Co. Ltd. is a company that develops LiDAR sensors and related solutions for mobility and infrastructure, and will invest in the Cheomdan 3 R&D Zone and the Bitgreen Industrial Complex to build an AI and automotive industry R&D center and a LiDAR product production line.
SMICE Research Institute Co. Ltd. is an IT convergence exhibition, convention, and event agency, which provides differentiated professional services by building customized solutions for exhibition conventions utilizing IT technology. To establish itself as a leading company in the field of exhibition convention solutions, SMICE will build an AI-based application software headquarters and research center in the Cheomdan 3 R&D Zone.
RePlus Co. Ltd. is an R&D company in electrical and electronic engineering based in Hanam, Gyeonggi-do, whose main products include the RE100 brokerage trading platform, smart city platform, and the likes. It is a promising energy ICT company that has been selected as one of the 1000+ Super Gap Startups by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and also for the Gwangju Regional Hub Smart City Creation Project. It plans to relocate its headquarters to Gwangju to discover new business opportunities in the energy industry by utilizing a verification test bed and developing AI-based business models.
Eco-Peace Co. Ltd. is a company specializing in manufacturing industrial robots for data-based integrated smart water quality management such as water purification robots and green algae removal robots. It has been recognized for its excellent water quality management technology by winning the CES Innovation Award in 2024 and 2025, the Edison Award Gold Medal in 2024, and the Ministry of Environment’s Excellent Water Management Company Award. In order to establish itself as an AI data-based smart water quality management company, the company will relocate its headquarters and research institute to the Cheomdan 3 R&D Zone.
Caramella Co. Ltd. is an application software development company that is engaged in various IT and AI-related developments and businesses based on its ability to build fast web service software and excellent AI technology. It will move its headquarters and research center to Cheomdan 3 R&D Zone to expand its AI solution field.
forSPACElab Co. Ltd. is a system software developer and provider with its headquarters in Seoul, Korea. It provides data solutions for the retail and restaurant industries. As a leading company in data-based solutions, the company has been selected as a supplier of the Data Voucher Support Project by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Data Industry Promotion Agency. It was certified as a venture company in 2020 and selected as one of the National 1000 Innovative Companies 2022 by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Food and Rural Affairs, and is supporting the digital transformation of major restaurant companies. The company will establish a Gwangju branch office in the Cheomdan 3 R&D Zone for business management data analysis and solutions development.
Ecovers Co. Ltd. is an application software development and supply company founded in Gwangju. It plans to establish a research center in the Cheomdan 3 R&D Zone to carry out research and development of AI vision inspectors.
Unicompany Co. Ltd. is a company with excellent technology in the fields of AI IR (infrared) cameras, unmanned aerial vehicles, and industrial robots based on software technology. The company was certified as a venture company in 2021, selected as a Gwangju Joint Brand (GIEL, Gwangju Intelligent Electronics) in 2022, and selected as a company for defense venture agreement in 2023. It is promoting continuous research and development to establish an additional research center in the field of AI infrared cameras.
VESSL AI Co. Ltd. is a company with technology in the field of AI integrated platforms headquartered in Seoul. It will move its headquarters to Gwangju to strengthen its research capabilities, including AI software development.
AutoL Co. Ltd. is a LiDAR manufacturing company, based in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, which was spun off from Hyundai Motor’s venture-in-company program. It is the only company in Korea that produces automotive LiDAR sensors. The LiDAR technique can be used as a sensor for recognition of objects such as robots, agricultural machinery, and drones. The company will open a research center in Gwangju for product R&D and production.
Duru Co. Ltd, which specializes in manufacturing specialty vehicles, plans to expand and relocate its operations to the Bitgreen Industrial Complex to enhance productivity and build R&D and production facilities to enter new businesses such as wing body and variable axles.
ZEV Co. Ltd. based in Hwasung, Gyeonggi-do, is an automotive parts manufacturer, partnering with Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors, and Mobis. To expand its business into the energy sector, ZEV is building ESS (energy storage system) and EV (electric vehicle) research and manufacturing facilities in Gwangju to leap further as an energy specialist.
Kuwotech Co. Ltd. is a dental medical device manufacturer that develops and produces core materials and components for dental uses based on precision processing technology. The company will make additional investments to grow into a domestic and international implant production and R&D hub.
JK-INC Co. Ltd. is a company based in Busan that develops and produces customized automatic cosmetics manufacturing machines. Their products that can save manpower and time costs during the cosmetics manufacturing process. The company plans to open an R&D and manufacturing plant to establish a production base for the “skin MBTI” cosmetic product that came to life through AI and air appliance industry convergence.
Gwangju Metropolitan City Mayer King Ki-Jung said, “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the companies that decided to invest in Gwangju despite the difficult economic situation. I hope that through this investment agreement, you will play a big role in rebuilding Gwangju’s core industries,” and also promised, “We will spare no effort to support the investing companies to develop the local community and become leading companies in future industry.”
Meanwhile, Gwangju Metropolitan City is striving to create a business-friendly investment environment by providing customized information and services for companies, including resolving obstacles, administrative and financial support and listening to concerns from the investment attraction stage to ensure smooth settlement of the investing companies.
