As attention turns to the follow-up actions of the government's "Three Mega Projects for a Great Leap Forward," officials aim to resolve site issues quickly before making significant investments.
Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to the president, announced during a briefing at the Blue House on July 6 that the decision was made to establish the Honam semiconductor industrial complex at Gwangju Military Airport, noting that businesses identified this location as the most suitable among the candidates in the Honam region.
The meeting prioritized discussions on the semiconductor sector, which has the largest investment scale among the mega projects. President Yoon Suk Yeol personally chaired the meeting, urging swift action. He plans to hold related meetings monthly to monitor the progress of the semiconductor cluster and other key projects in various regions.
Kang stated, "The president has decided to establish a dedicated organization at the Blue House to oversee the progress of the mega projects and to resolve any inter-departmental disagreements with a senior appointee."
The main advantage of the Gwangju Military Airport site is its potential for a large area of approximately 2.5 million pyeong, which has already been leveled due to its airport characteristics, significantly reducing the construction time needed for site development.
Kang added, "The site has good accessibility to Gwangju city and KTX, making it favorable for attracting research and production personnel. The logistics accessibility, connecting roads, airports, and ports, has also been reviewed as excellent." He assured that the government would promptly finalize the site selection process and initiate subsequent procedures for industrial complex development after discussions with relevant ministries.
Kang reiterated the commitment to accelerate the development of the Yongin cluster, a semiconductor hub in the metropolitan area. He mentioned that, in response to corporate requests, the timeline for the originally planned ten fabs (semiconductor production facilities) would be expedited, including land compensation and the supply of electricity and water.
During the meeting, companies also raised concerns about essential infrastructure, securing skilled labor, and improving living conditions related to housing, transportation, and education.
Given the nature of the semiconductor industry, it is crucial to maintain momentum while recognizing that this project will transform the entire regional industrial ecosystem, necessitating government support. The government plans to actively back the establishment of the industrial complex, permitting processes, infrastructure, and living conditions.
Kang concluded, "The world is currently in the midst of an AI transformation. We will ensure that corporate investment plans lead to actual completion with government support throughout the process."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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