A private investment initiative is underway to expand the rose industry in Gokseong, Jeollanam-do, into high-value sectors such as cosmetics. The goal is to transition roses from mere tourism and ornamental resources to a specialized regional industry through research and product development.
On October 21, the Jeollanam-do Bio Industry Promotion Agency announced that it signed a 500 million won investment attraction agreement and a joint research and development memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Molligarden to revitalize the Gokseong rose industry and enhance the competitiveness of the green bioindustry.
Under this agreement, Molligarden plans to invest a total of 500 million won in phases from 2027 to 2031 to establish infrastructure for the rose-related industry, implement cultivation techniques suitable for the local environment, and develop products.
The Jeollanam-do Bio Industry Promotion Agency will support companies in research and development and establish a cooperative system for developing high-value products using roses.
This agreement aims to increase the added value of the agricultural and life sciences industry by utilizing Gokseong's specialized rose resources and securing sustainable cultivation techniques to respond to climate change.
The focus is on strengthening the technical foundation necessary for rose cultivation while creating an industrial ecosystem that connects raw material production, product development, and commercialization.
Molligarden, a tenant at the Jeollanam-do Bio Industry Promotion Agency's Green Bio Headquarters Eco-Friendly Center, develops and manufactures products such as cosmetics and soaps made from roses.
The company plans to accelerate research and development and commercialization to expand the utilization of rose raw materials and enhance product competitiveness through this agreement.
Both organizations will collaborate on advancing rose cultivation and raw material utilization technologies, researching climate change responses, and developing rose-based cosmetics.
Additionally, they aim to enhance the stability of rose production through the implementation of cultivation techniques suitable for the local environment and to identify follow-up cooperative projects that can translate research and development outcomes into actual product production and sales.
The Jeollanam-do Bio Industry Promotion Agency has been working to expand research infrastructure to support technology development and commercialization for tenant companies at the Eco-Friendly Center. This agreement is significant as it combines the technological support of a public research institution with the product development capabilities of a private company.
As Gokseong County seeks to host a garden expo, expanding the foundation of the rose-related industry is expected to enhance the industrial utilization potential of tourism resources.
However, the 500 million won investment is planned to be executed in phases over the next five years, and the actual investment execution and facility construction results will need to be confirmed during the project implementation process.
Seo Hyung-bin, head of the Jeollanam-do Bio Industry Promotion Agency, stated, "This agreement will enhance the growth potential of the region's specialized industry utilizing Gokseong's rose resources and create opportunities for research institutions and tenant companies to achieve industrial outcomes. We will continue to actively support companies in research and development and commercialization to strengthen the competitiveness of the regional agricultural and life sciences industry."
Kim Kyung-won, CEO of Molligarden, said, "We will enhance the competitiveness of rose-based products and develop into a company that grows together with the region through continuous technology development and investment."
For this agreement to lead to the actual growth of the local rose industry, it will be essential to implement the planned investments, apply cultivation techniques in the field, commercialize products, and secure stable sales channels.
Meanwhile, the Eco-Friendly Center at the Jeollanam-do Bio Industry Promotion Agency's Green Bio Headquarters supports the industrial utilization of local agricultural and life science resources and the research and commercialization of tenant companies. Through this agreement with Molligarden, it plans to promote cooperative projects aimed at enhancing the value of Gokseong's rose resources and establishing related industrial infrastructure.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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