K-BALANCE 2025, which comprehensively presents a strategy for balanced regional development, opened in Ulsan on the 19th. The Local Era Expo, held over three days and two nights through the 21st at and around the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center, will see heavy participation by central ministries, local governments, and public institutions to assess 30 years of local autonomy and discuss national land balanced development policy.
As major local governments are making all-out efforts to secure a base for advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), robots, and bio, the event is expected to be a venue to share regional achievements and know-how.
◇ 26 conferences to be held, 366 booths participating
At the opening ceremony at 2 p.m. on the 19th, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Local Era Committee Chair Kim Kyeong-soo, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung, Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-kyum, and about 400 key figures from central and local governments are scheduled to attend.
A government official said, "They will reflect on the historical significance of the 30th anniversary of popularly elected local autonomy, share a vision for balanced growth under the 5-pole, 3-special system (fostering five mega-regions and three special self-governing provinces), and strengthen their willingness to cooperate for the realization of autonomy and decentralization."
A total of 366 booths will be installed at the expo venue. These booths will showcase the representative outcomes and best practices of balanced growth policies by institutions such as government ministries, the 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, and education offices.
In particular, Ulsan City, under the theme "Ulsan, the AI capital of Korea," plans to introduce ▲ manufacturing AI ecosystem ▲ energy (distributed energy special zone) ▲ 2028 Ulsan International Garden Expo, among others.
Various policy conferences will also be held. Domestic and foreign experts, the government, universities, and innovation institutions will take part in discussions and presentations on a total of 26 topics. They will discuss a range of policies and execution plans to realize balanced national growth and strengthen autonomy and decentralization, and share best practices.
Local Era Committee Chair Kim Kyeong-soo said, "This expo will be a turning point for balanced national growth under the 5-pole, 3-special system to advance regional megacities, and a driving force to open the future of a new Republic of Korea."
◇ From "one-pole capital area" to "5 poles, 3 specials"... inducing corporations to transfer to the regions
The government's 5-pole, 3-special balanced growth strategy will be a focus of discussion at this event. The government plans to reorganize the nation from the "one-pole" Seoul metropolitan area into five mega-regions (five poles) and three special self-governing provinces (three specials) to strengthen industrial, administrative, and fiscal capacity by region. Centering on the AI grand transition and 30 leading projects for a super-innovation economy, growth engines have also been selected for each mega-region.
The regional growth engines are: ▲ Southeast region (Busan, Ulsan, South Gyeongsang) automobiles, shipbuilding, space and aviation, petrochemicals, steel ▲ Southwest region (North Jeolla, Gwangju, South Jeolla) AI, future mobility, renewable energy, agro-bio, food industry ▲ Daegyeong region (Daegu, North Gyeongsang) robots, auto parts, steel, secondary batteries, bio ▲ Central region (Daejeon, Chungcheong) semiconductors, displays, secondary batteries, bio, basic research and development (R&D) ▲ Gangwon-Jeju region tourism, clean energy, bio.
Based on the growth engines, the government plans to sign regional development investment agreements between the central government and the special mega-regional governments and push projects forward. When implementing major fiscal projects, it will also establish a preferential support system for non-capital regions and areas with declining populations by reflecting regional development levels.
In particular, for corporations that transfer from the capital area to the regions or make new or expanded investments in the regions, support for local investment promotion subsidies will be expanded. The Local Era venture fund will be reorganized into a "regional growth fund," and the special provision for recognizing the regional investment ratio will be extended through 2030. When corporations transfer their headquarters or factories to areas with declining populations, reductions in corporate and income taxes will be provided for up to 15 years.