Haenam County has identified 2025 as a decisive turning point in its emergence as Korea’s leading hub for artificial intelligence and energy innovation. In his year-end address, Governor Myeong Hyun-gwan stated that Haenam is “no longer the land’s end, but the heart of Korea’s new AI and energy era.”
Key achievements include securing the National AI Computing Center, a mega-scale project expected to generate significant economic impact, and LS Group’s decision to build a dedicated offshore wind power port in the Hwawon Industrial Complex. The likelihood of additional flagship projects—such as the OpenAI–SK large-scale AI Data Center and the RE100 National Industrial Complex—is increasing, positioning Haenam at the forefront of Korea’s technological and energy transformation.
Haenam also made notable progress in agriculture, tourism, and regional development: construction of major agricultural research and climate centers is set to begin, smart-farming initiatives are advancing, large-scale festivals and international sports events boosted visitor numbers, and the Haenam Love Gift Certificate surpassed 820 billion KRW in cumulative sales.
The county achieved high national recognition as well, receiving the top grade in the national public-sector integrity assessment for the first time and maintaining the highest rating for seven consecutive years in the manifesto fulfillment evaluation.
Governor Myeong expressed gratitude to Haenam’s residents for their role in these accomplishments, pledging to build “an even more vibrant and livable Haenam” together in 2026.