Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC) is spurring technology study and development for low carbon and green growth, a top executive of the center said.
"In line with this, JDC and LG Electronics concluded a business agreement for environment-friendly development of Jeju Island, a green and clean area, on April 20 this year," said JDC CEO and Chairman Byon Jong-il.
"Under the pact, JDC and LG Electronics will carry out a joint research and development project to save energy for facilities in the JDC-related development zone and reduce emission of greenhouse gas," said CEO Byon.
It is part of the JDC plan to create an international free city in clean Jeju Island through low carbon and green growth.
"We also decided to cooperate with each other to advance into the world's carbon market emission right trading project by making the best use of the greenhouse gas reduced from the joint project," he said.
"Along with this, the two bodies will push for social contribution activities jointly to preserve clean natural environment in Jeju Island," he said.
Noting that the private sector and the government could double effects by joining hands for low carbon and green growth, CEO Byon said, "JDC will exert best efforts to build an environment-friendly international free city in the island in cooperation with domestic and foreign companies armed with environment-friendly technology power, including LG Electronics."
Meanwhile, Nho Hwan-yong, the executive vice president of LG Electronics, said, "We feel an unlimited sense of responsibility in the joint project with JDC, which plays a pivotal role for development of international free city. I hope the two bodies will achieve the target of low carbon and green growth and construct environment-friendly Jeju international free city through this joint project."
Jeju emerges as test bed of environment-friendly advanced technology
The green and clean island Jeju is emerging as a test bed of environment-friendly advanced technology. Under the target of reducing greenhouse gas in 2020, the government plans to actively foster green cars as new growth engine and expand the number of cars, while securing a global leadership in the world's green car market.
Accordingly, an electric car, a representative green car, is emerging as the next-generation growth engine. And tests for commercialization of electric cars will be carried out in Jeju Island over the coming three years.
Jeju Island boasts peculiar geographical features surrounded by mountains and sea is the best place for test of new technology. CT&T, an environment-friendly electric car maker, plans to set up a number of electric car charging stations in Jeju Island and test the function of electric cars, a company spokesman said.
CT&T projects to introduce a total of 28 electric cars, including those now in test operation in Jeju Science Park, which opened on March 25 this year, to Jeju Island before the end of August for experimental operation, he said.
"JDC hopes Jeju Science Park will develop into a research and development center of environment-friendly and advanced science and technology," CEO Byon said.
Jeju Science Park, Tus Park of China sign business cooperation pact
Jeju Science Park and Tus Park of China signed a business cooperation pact for growth of the two science parks and Korean and Chinese companies operating in the parks on May 24.
The business agreement is designed to promote bilateral cooperation for rapid growth of Korean and Chinese companies operating in the two parks, a spokesman of Jeju Science Park said.
"To this end, the two science parks will share experience and knowledge on development and operation of science estates and seek cooperation in investment, technology and business fields among Korean and Chinese companies," said the spokesman.
"Along with this, they will support companies' advancement in overseas markets and hold a number of international seminars, workshops and conferences," he said.
Tus Park, which was established at Tsing Hua University in Beijing, China, is one of China's representative science technology estates, which succeeded in attracting such global companies as IBM, Microsoft and Google over 16 years after its establishment.
Commenting that advanced knowledge-based industry demands speedier and stronger innovation, CEO Byon said, "Considering Jeju Island's isolated location and fragile knowledge and industrial base, it is very important for JDC to offer network for innovation to Korean and foreign companies operating in the park."
He stressed the importance of the JDC's efforts to build global network in Jeju Science Park, which places emphasis on such state-of-the-art knowledge-based industries as information technology and bio technology.
Jinghong Xu, representative of Tus Park, also said, "Countries in the world are closing further through advanced technology. Without cooperation, nobody can achieve goal effectively nowadays. Cooperating with each other and sharing good ideas and experiences between science estates are becoming more important than ever."
JDC, a developer and manager of Jeju Science Park, concluded a business cooperation pact with such global science estates as Ulm City of Germany in June 2006, Ascendas of Singapore in February 2007, Wales Technium of Britain in July 2007, Southern Taiwan Science Park in October 2008 and Central Taiwan Science Park in April 2009.
"JDC is also actively pushing ahead with a cooperation project to share know-how on operation of science parks and supports for companies in the parks with some foreign network companies, including Ascendas of Singapore and Wales Technium of Britain," CEO Byon said.
