Choi Sam-ryong, the fifth Director of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone Authority, steps down.

The inauguration ceremony for Choi Sam-ryong, the fifth Director of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone Authority, was held on June 20th at the Daegu Textile Complex (DTC) with the attendance of all staff members. Director Choi graduated from Seoul National University with a major in Political Science and entered the public service by passing the 31st Civil Service Examination. He served various positions including the Director of Planning in Daegu Metropolitan City, Vice Mayor of Dalseong County, Chief of the Creative Economy Division, and Director of Civil Safety. He took office as the fifth Director of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone Authority on July 10th, 2020, and his term expired on June 30th. Director Choi has been praised for his outstanding abilities and gentle leadership in leading the Authority during his tenure. Despite challenging internal and external conditions, he proactively responded to the changing investment environment and planned a spatial innovation through the expansion of the economic zone by 2.11 million pyeong (approx. 1,752,525 square meters). Furthermore, he attracted customized investments in key strategic industries such as ICT, robotics, healthcare, biotechnology, and future mobility through investment promotion activities and improvements in the business environment, resulting in the attraction of six foreign companies and $480 million in foreign investment. He also secured a government grant of 1.5 billion won through efforts to establish an innovative ecosystem, and achieved the "Excellent" rating for three consecutive years in the performance evaluation of the economic zone. In his inauguration speech, Director Choi expressed his gratitude to the staff members for their help in overcoming the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic downturn, and stated his commitment to continue supporting the development of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone and the Authority as a key growth hub for future industries in Daegu and Gyeongbuk.