GoldStar Opens the General Electronic Electricity Plant in Oncheon-dong

In March 1964, GoldStar Co., Ltd., the predecessor of LG Electronics, completed and officially opened its General Electronic Electricity Plant in Oncheon-dong, Busan, marking a major milestone in the expansion of South Korea's electronics manufacturing industry. Established in 1958 by entrepreneur Koo In-hwoi, GoldStar had rapidly developed its manufacturing capabilities through the production of radios, electric fans, automatic telephones, and electricity meters. The new integrated manufacturing facility followed the relocation of the company's headquarters and earlier production operations from Yeonji-dong to Oncheon-dong in September 1963. Designed to support large-scale production of electrical and electronic equipment, the plant significantly increased GoldStar's industrial capacity. Its reported monthly production capabilities included approximately 46,000 electricity meters, 30,000 radios, 18,000 telephones, and 3,000 electric fans. The opening of the Oncheon-dong General Electronic Electricity Plant represented a turning point in GoldStar's transformation into a diversified electronics and home appliance manufacturer. The facility became an important center for technological development and industrial production, supporting the company's introduction of several pioneering South Korean products. These included the country's first domestically manufactured refrigerator, the GR-120, in April 1965, and its first domestically manufactured black-and-white television, the VD-191, in August 1966. The plant also contributed to developments in telecommunications equipment, washing machines, and other household appliances. GoldStar continued expanding the Oncheon-dong complex throughout the 1960s, establishing a manufacturing foundation that supported its evolution into LG Electronics in 1995. The facility remains historically significant as one of the early centers of South Korea's modern electronics industry