The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on Friday plans to establish Korea National Food Cluster in North Jeolla Province by 2015.

The 3.58-square-kilometer cluster to open in Iksan, named FOODPOLIS, will focus on boosting research and development in the food industry and expanding exports and developing related culture, ministry officials said.

It aims to be a new hub for the global food market, said officials at the Agriculture Ministry’s Korean National Food Cluster Project Team through a statement.

The cluster will include a food industrial complex across 2.32 square kilometers ― about four-fifths the size of Yeouido.

About 150 local and international food companies and 10 research centers are expected to settle down in the complex to conduct joint research and development and run manufacture and export businesses. The companies will be offered tax incentives.

“The Korean National Food Cluster, which requires a total of $480 million in investments, is expected to lead to 4 trillion won ($3.5 billion) worth of production and 22,000 new jobs,” said a ministry official.

The the area, about 1.26 million square meters in size, will be turned into a residential area for about 20,000 people.

By Park Min-young  (claire@heraldcorp.com)