Turning to Arirang now, proponents say Korea's creative economy centers are steadily achieving their goal of helping the country flourish in the fast-paced 21st century. The Gwangju branch, the country's sixth, recently marked an important milestone. For a look back at the center's achievements over the past twelve months, Kim Ji-yeon reports.

Some three-hundred people including the minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of the Gwangju Center for Creative Economy and Innovation on Wednesday.

[REPORTER]
Kim Ji-yeon
"The center, in Jelloanam-do Province, is part of a network of 17 centers nationwide devoted to creating a business ecosystem for local start-ups and small businesses... with the ultimate goal of realizing the government's vision for a creative economy."

[CG IN]
Center focuses on automobiles, hydrogen fuel cells

Each center has a specialty and a corporate partner to provide resources and advice.

The Gwangju center's focus is the automobile sector and hydrogen fuel cell development... and it is funded in part by the country's leading automaker Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors.

The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning says the center was created in line with the government's goal of achieving a "hydrogen economy,"... or a society that uses eco-friendly hydrogen as its main energy source.

[INTERVIEW]
Choi Yang-hee / Minister of Science, ICT & Future Planning
(Korean)
"One of the center's big achievements this year is the creation of a charging station that was completed earlier this month, and I hope through deregulation that more like it can be created in the future. It's a multi-energy-source charging facility equipped with a fuel-cell generator that can charge both electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles."

[CAMERAMAN]
Lee Kyung-ho

The ministry says the center has fostered ten hyrdogen-related venture firms over the past year,... attracting roughly 4-point-8 million U.S. dollars in investment so far.

[CG IN]
‘Smart’ factories built to save millions in yearly biz costs

On top of that, the ministry says the center has helped the region's auto industry save roughly one-point-8 million dollars over the past year through the establishment of a smart factory that applies Internet of Things technology to production lines.

Going forward, the center has plans to build more smart factories in the region.

It has already secured an additional 8-point-3 million dollars for the project from Hyundai and the Gwangju municipal government.

Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News, Gwangju.