800 Trillion Won Semiconductor Cluster to Be Built on Gwangju Military Airport Site

As part of the government's announced "three major mega-projects," the semiconductor cluster for the Honam region will be built on the site of Gwangju Military Airport.
Samsung Electronics and SK hynix had previously said they would invest 800 trillion won in the southwest region to build four semiconductor fabs, two each. Both companies are now expected to build their fabs on the Gwangju Military Airport site.
Kang Hoon-sik, Chief of Staff to the President, said at a briefing at the Chunchugwan Press Center at the Blue House on the 6th, "Companies said Gwangju Military Airport is the most suitable site among the candidate locations in the Honam region." He added, "At today's meeting, we decided to develop a semiconductor industrial complex for the Honam region on the Gwangju Military Airport site."
He added, "The government will quickly complete the site selection process through consultations with relevant ministries and begin follow-up procedures for industrial complex development."
Earlier in the day, President Lee Jae Myung chaired a public-private review meeting on mega-projects at the Blue House, attended by aides, ministers from relevant ministries, Samsung Electronics President Kim Yong-kwan, and SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung. After reviewing project progress and hearing the companies' views, the government chose the Gwangju Military Airport site.
Kang explained, "The Gwangju Military Airport area can secure about 8.2 million square meters, or about 2.5 million pyeong, of land. Since it is an airport site, it has already been leveled, which can minimize construction time." He added, "It is also close to downtown Gwangju and a KTX station, giving it an advantage in securing workers and living conditions. Its logistics access, linked to roads, airports and ports, was also assessed as excellent."
Above all, the fact that Gwangju Military Airport is state-owned land, which reduces risks related to land expropriation, also appears to have influenced the site selection. However, the relocation of the military airport remains an issue to be resolved.
With the government's decision, both Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are expected to build semiconductor fabs on the Gwangju Military Airport site. Kang said, "The airport site is not only large enough for both companies, but I understand it is even larger than that." He added, "So it is naturally being discussed on the assumption that both will move in."
The Blue House will also establish a dedicated system to speed up the mega-projects. First, President Lee plans to hold the public-private review meeting he chaired on this day every month. Kang said, "We decided to review, one by one, the progress of key tasks not only for the semiconductor cluster but also for the three major mega-projects in each region."
A dedicated team will also be set up inside the Blue House. Kang said, "We agreed to appoint a heavyweight figure to oversee progress on each task across the mega-projects and coordinate differences among ministries."
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter