Located in the southwestern part of Seoul, the Guro Digital Industrial Complex is South Korea’s first national industrial complex and has played a central role in the country’s economic development for over half a century. Established between 1964 and 1973, it served as a foundation for South Korea’s economic growth. Today, it houses more than 13,000 companies and employs over 240,000 workers engaged in production and research activities, making it the only national industrial complex in Seoul.
 [코리안투데이] 사진 구로디지털 산업단지 © 박수진 기자 |
The Driving Force Behind South Korea’s Economic Leap
The Guro Digital Industrial Complex has been instrumental in South Korea’s rise as a global economic powerhouse. From the 1960s to the 1980s, industries such as textiles, garment manufacturing, petrochemicals, machinery, and electronics flourished here, leading the country’s export-driven economic expansion. As a key industrial hub that fueled the “Miracle on the Han River,” it not only propelled South Korea’s rapid economic growth but also helped establish the nation’s strong global economic standing by exporting products worldwide.
Products manufactured in this complex reached beyond Asia to Europe and North America, playing a decisive role in securing the competitiveness of South Korean electronics, machinery, and textiles in the global market. Meeting the demands of an era focused on export-driven growth, the Guro Digital Industrial Complex made South Korea’s economic leap possible and became a crucial base for its transformation into a manufacturing powerhouse.
 [코리안투데이] 사진 구로디지털산업단지 © 박수진 기자 |
Transformation into a High-Tech IT Hub
Since the 2000s, the Guro Digital Industrial Complex has undergone a remarkable transformation into a high-tech digital cluster centered on knowledge and information industries. Shifting away from traditional manufacturing, it has become a hub for IT firms and venture startups, positioning itself as a key player in South Korea’s technology innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. The complex is now home to a diverse range of companies, from global IT giants to emerging startups, fostering advanced technology development and cutting-edge research activities.
Amid this transformation, the Guro Digital Industrial Complex has evolved beyond a mere industrial zone into a space where creative ideas and groundbreaking technologies emerge. As South Korea’s leading IT center, it serves as a platform for collaboration and competition among world-renowned technology firms while acting as a launchpad for domestic startups aiming for global expansion.
Its economic achievements are equally impressive. The complex records an annual production volume of 14.3841 trillion KRW, with exports reaching 3.4113 trillion KRW (2.8479 billion USD). Numerous researchers and developers are engaged in pioneering technologies, leading various projects in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
 [코리안투데이] 사진 구로디지털 산업단지 © 박수진 기자 |
Sustained Development for the Future
The Guro Digital Industrial Complex is a symbolic space that connects South Korea’s economic past, present, and future. To keep pace with evolving industrial trends, it continues to undergo upgrades, incorporating smart city technologies and establishing eco-friendly industrial zones to enhance global competitiveness. The innovations and technologies born here are expanding beyond South Korea to the global stage, positioning the complex as a new center for future industries through continuous development.
This industrial complex is no longer just a manufacturing site. It has become the dynamic core of South Korea’s industrial landscape, a place where the nation shapes a new era together with the world through relentless challenges and groundbreaking innovation.
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