"Korea's Largest Semiconductor Industrial Complex"... A Look Inside Yongin Semiconductor Complex [On-site Report]

[Financial News] "The country's largest semiconductor industrial complex is slated to be built here."
The Yongin Semiconductor National Industrial Complex is slated to be built in parts of Cheoin-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. National Route 45 ran broadly from north to south through the area, while companies, homes, and livestock sheds stood on either side. Logging operations to clear the mountains were also in full swing. Semiconductor companies, including Samsung Electronics, will move into the site. As it will be Korea's largest semiconductor cluster, Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) emphasized that it would bring forward the completion date through measures such as a fast-track process.
The Yongin Semiconductor National Industrial Complex is part of the three mega-projects being pursued by the government to prepare for growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI). The project aims to establish a semiconductor cluster in the greater Seoul area and build a production hub at the forefront of the industry. The site covers approximately 7.77 million square meters, or 2.35 million pyeong.
Because the complex is being developed to prepare for AI demand, LH is moving as quickly as possible. The compensation rate has already reached 99%, and preliminary construction work, including surveys of buried cultural heritage and the removal of obstructions, began last month. Full-scale construction is scheduled to begin this month. Ordinary construction projects take an average of four years and six months after undergoing approval procedures such as a preliminary feasibility study and impact assessments. LH, however, shortened the preliminary feasibility and approval processes to enable an early start and completed them in one year and nine months. It also shortened the groundbreaking schedule by carrying out detailed design and construction procurement simultaneously. Kim Seong-geol, head of LH's Complex Development Team 1, emphasized, "We obtained approval at the fastest pace in the history of the Republic of Korea."
Various high-tech facilities, including semiconductor fabs, will be built on the site. Six semiconductor fabs are scheduled to be developed in line with corporate demand. LH issued a tender in July for construction of Section 1, where FAB No. 1 will be located, and selected a Daewoo Engineering & Construction consortium as the final contractor last month. It plans to sign the construction contract and begin priority construction this month. Materials, parts, and equipment companies, commonly known as the "so-bu-jang" sector, will also move into the complex to support semiconductor production. Three power plants will be built to ensure a stable electricity supply, along with industrial gas supply facilities. Ji Gwang-seok, head of LH's Complex Development Team 2, explained, "We plan to carry out construction in Section 2, including the power plant site," adding, "We will focus our capabilities on the priority area, get the project onto a normal track, and then consider issuing tenders."
Transportation infrastructure will also be developed alongside the complex. To improve accessibility, the road alignment will be adjusted so that the fabs are positioned on both sides of National Route 45. Two local roads will also be linked to facilitate access to and from the complex. In addition, the site will be connected to locations across the country through links with the Gyeongbu Expressway and the Sejong–Pocheon Expressway.
Measures have also been prepared for existing residents and companies. LH surveyed existing companies' relocation needs and developed a business relocation complex first to minimize any interruption to their operations. The agency is helping existing residents relocate, while a worker housing complex is expected to be built near the site, along with commercial areas.
LH said it would continue working to complete the project swiftly and safely. President Lee Seong-hoon said, "To accelerate the development of the semiconductor national industrial complex, a national task, we are adding momentum to the project by actively pursuing norm-breaking innovation, such as boldly carrying out procedures in parallel rather than following established work practices." He added, "We will work closely with project operators and relevant agencies to complete the complex at an early date and support the government's three mega-projects without disruption."
[email protected] Jeong Gyeong-su Reporter