Wonju City seeks to host 'Gangwon Global Industry and Trade Organization' as provincial export hub

Wonju City is making a strong bid to host the newly proposed 'Gangwon Global Industry and Trade Organization,' a provincial initiative aimed at bolstering international trade. The city asserts that its status as the largest export base in Gangwon Province makes it the most logical and effective location for the organization.

Gangwon Province plans to launch the organization by January of next year, fulfilling a pledge by Governor Woo Sang-ho. The body is expected to centralize trade functions, including export support, global marketing, and overseas promotion for businesses within the province.

Wonju's primary advantage lies in its significant contribution to the province's exports. In 2025, Wonju accounted for approximately 40% of Gangwon's total exports, amounting to $1.21 billion out of $3.06 billion. The city is also a hub for key strategic industries such as medical devices, automotive parts, and artificial intelligence, alongside a competitive food industry, including K-ramen, for global export.

Furthermore, Wonju offers a robust framework of administrative and financial support for export companies. The city believes that locating the trade organization in an area with a high concentration of export businesses will enable a more responsive, on-site approach to trade administration. This contrasts with traditional, supply-driven administrative support, allowing for more effective assistance with overseas market information, marketing, and sales channel development.

Gu Ja-yeol, the mayor of Wonju, emphasized that establishing the organization in Wonju would maximize the export competitiveness of the entire province. He stated the city's commitment to leveraging its industrial base and export capabilities to support local businesses and enhance Gangwon's future export competitiveness.

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The establishment of the Gangwon Global Industry and Trade Organization in Wonju is the most effective way to maximize the export competitiveness of the entire province. Based on Wonju's industrial base and export capabilities, we will actively pursue the organization's establishment in Wonju to support the overseas market expansion of businesses in the province and enhance the future competitiveness of Gangwon's exports.