Editor’s Note
This article highlights a strategic development for Iksan’s renowned jewelry sector, detailing its selection for a key government support project aimed at fostering innovation and added value.
The city of Iksan, known as the ‘City of Gems’, has laid the groundwork to transform its jewelry industry into a future-oriented, high-value-added sector.
According to the city on the 12th, the Iksan-U Jewelry Specialized Complex was selected for the specialized complex support project overseen by the National Root Industry Promotion Center under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE).
This marks the fourth consecutive year of selection since 2021, securing a total project budget of 316 million won, including national funding.
Root industries are foundational sectors that form the backbone of manufacturing, such as casting, mold-making, welding, and heat treatment. MOTIE supports root industry complexes nationwide through annual public offerings, providing national funding for shared facility improvements, construction of convenience facilities to enhance the working environment, and joint innovation activities, aiming to cluster root companies and strengthen their competitiveness.
Since its initial selection in the 2021 public offering, the city has been identifying joint innovation activity projects through organic collaboration between the Fashion Industry Testing and Research Institute—the entrusted operator of the Fashion Jewelry Joint R&D Center—and local jewelry companies.
Starting in 2022, the city has been promoting a project to build an online ecosystem for the jewelry industry, establishing the ‘Brilliant Studio’, a digital commerce hub for Iksan jewelry, last year.
This year, the city plans to actively utilize the achievements and infrastructure from the jointly promoted projects of the past three years to advance online commerce sophistication and enhance digital capabilities, aiming to produce differentiated results.
Specific project details include: building a business-to-consumer (B2C) online platform utilizing a joint brand; providing in-depth training on AI digital marketing and live commerce; exploring new sales channels through participation in domestic and international joint exhibitions; establishing an Iksan-type eco-friendly jewelry certification system; and introducing a digital logistics photography system.
