S. Korea to inject 580 bln won for national food cluster

SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will inject 580 billion won (US$496
million) over the next five years to build a globally competitive food industry
hub, the government said Friday.
The plan calls for both state and private funds to be used to set up a so-called
national food cluster in Iksan, 246km south of Seoul, the Ministry for Food,
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.
The new cluster, to be completed by 2015, will cover 2.39 million square meters
of land and become home to various research and development facilities, food
production plants and residential areas for workers.
"Companies and laboratories in the cluster will concentrate on such fields as
improving the taste and nutritional value of traditional foods, research on
fermentation processes and the development of new supplementary health products,"
a ministry source said.
He said roughly 145 companies and 10 laboratories could set up operations in
Iksan, with efforts underway to arrange cooperative tie-ups with local
universities.
The cluster, in addition, will move to introduce hi-tech packaging processes that
are key to local distribution and exports.
"In the long run, Seoul wants to transform the cluster into a regional Asian food
hub that can fuel exports of traditional Korean food," the official said.
The ministry in charge of the country's overall food and agriculture policies
said details on building the new industrial park will be carried out with related
state agencies and local authorities so work can start next year.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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