자동차공업의 입지와 지역발전에 관한 연구 -전남 율촌 산업단지를 사례로-

A Study on the Regional Development Effects by the Location of a New Automobile Assembly Plant -In the Case of Hyundai Motors Co. in Yulchon Industrial Complex, Chonnam Province-

본 연구는 제조업 중에서도 지역성장 및 연관산업에 대한 파급효과가 가장 큰 부문인 자동차 산업을 대상으로 새로운 조립공장 입지가 지역경제의 성장 및 발전에 미치는 영향을 경계지리학적 관점에서 논의했다. 우리 나라의 대표적 신산업지구로 발전하고 있는 광양만권의 율촌 산업단지를 사례로, 한국 최대의 자동차 조림기업인 현대자동차의 새로운 조립공장 입지가 광주 전남의 자동차산업 전반에 어떠한 영향을 미칠 것인지, 그리고 보다 미시적 수준에서 광양만권에 어떠한 파급효과를 초래할 것인지 탐색해보고자 했다. 노동집약적 특성과 자본 및 기술집약적 특성을 동시에 지니는 자동차 조립 및 부품생산 부문을 대상으로 첫째, 조립부문-부품생산부문의 공간적 비공간적 연계 특성을 규명하고 둘께, 광주 전남지역 자동차산업의 현 주소 및 이에 대한 신설 조립공장의 파급효과를 분석하며 셋째, 신설 조립공장 입지에 따른 광양만권 역내의 부품산업 발전 가능성을 전망함으로써 지역개발의 파급효과를 극대화할 수 있는 방안을 모색해보고자 하는 것이 본 연구의 목적이다.

In general, spatial imbalance in regional growth is a major cause of social and political conflicts within a state. In Korea, this inequality has functioned as a threat to the state's integration. With the economic development policies by regional industrialization over the past three decades, most of the industrial activities have been concentrated in Seoul and Pusan metropolitan areas, which are surrounded by Kyonggi, Kyongnam provinces respectively. Compared to these areas, Chonnam and Chonbuk provinces have lagged behind in economic development. Therefore, in order to increase the regional economic development of the southwestern region in Korea, the central government has been enforcing several policies aimed at regional industrialization since the 1980s. The purpose of this study focuses on the regional economic impacts of a newly established industrial estate-Yulchon industrial complex- which would act as a regional growth center in the Kwangyang bay area. The Kwangyang bay area consists of several industrial estates such as Kwangyang Iron and Steel Co. and its related industrial complex, Chuam rural industrial estate, Yeochon industrial complex, and so on. In addition, the Kwangyang container port was constructed in 1997. The Kwangyang bay area has been changing to a new industrial district in the southwestern part of Korea as a result of industrialization policies which were activated by central government. The Yulchon industrial complex, which is expected to be completed in 2001, would draw many manufacturing plants. For example, Hyundai Motors Co. has a plan to locate a new automobile assembly plant within the estate. As the plan has high probability to be realized, it will be interesting to study the effects a new automobile assembly plant and its related production linkages have on the region. This study is to estimate the expected structural characteristics of automobile production activities in Yulchon. The following details will be discussed: the regional economic impacts of a new automobile industry in Yulchon industrial complex, the production linkage formation via hierarchical subcontracting systems, the alternative strategies to promote the growth of regional economies, and the scheme to improve the auto-parts and components industry in Kwangju and Chonnam provinces by establishing auto-mobile production function. Automoblie industry generally gives great influences on not only regional economies but the related industries, for example, the firms producing automotive components. If a new plant producing automobiles and its related firms producing components are to be established in Yulchon, they will affect on the regional development directions and change the regional characteristics of industrial structure. In order to increase the spread effects of the new industry in Yulchon industrial complex, almost all of the automobile production processes must be organized concurrently within a limited range of distance. There is an imperative that the co-operation system should be structured between the assembly firm and many firms producing its components. In addition to those, it would be required such as the effective division of labors between the firms, much more capabilities in the technical innovations, and the reconstruction of interrelationship between the labor unions and the firms' managers.