What Lies Ahead for the Semiconductor City of ‘Jeonnam-Gwangju’? Real Estate Development Industry Institute and Developers Association to Hold Conference

[Financial News] An international conference bringing together developers and other domestic and international experts will look at the future of Jeonnam-Gwangju as it transforms into a semiconductor production hub.
According to industry sources on the 26th, the Korea Real Estate Development Industry Institute, the Honam branch of the Korea Developers Association and others will hold the ‘2026 Jeonnam-Gwangju Future City International Conference’ at Gwangju MBC’s Open Hall on the 30th. The conference was organized to explore directions for the development of the semiconductor industry and future cities.

According to the institute, creating suitable living conditions is emerging as a pressing issue and a top priority for establishing a semiconductor production hub. It said there is also a need to build consensus on the changes and vision for Gwangju that attracting the semiconductor industry could bring. An institute official said, “The central theme is Gwangju, where industry and the city come together.”
The conference will consist of a keynote address and two sessions. Song Hye-ja, chair of the Regional Special Committee on the National AI Strategy under the President, will deliver the keynote on ‘Completing Gwangju and South Jeolla Province through the National AI Strategy.’ Kim Seong-jin, chairman of the Korea Power Exchange, will then speak on ‘Jeonnam-Gwangju’s Semiconductor Industry: Is There a Power Problem?’ Jeong Eun-seung, chair of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Semiconductor Strategy Committee, will also give a keynote address on ‘The Semiconductor Industry and a Vision for a Honam Region Cluster.’
Part 1 will follow, under the theme ‘Industrial Transformation and Urban Spatial Strategy: International Experiences and the Way Forward for Gwangju.’ Professor Montserrat Pareja-Eastaway of the University of Barcelona is expected to introduce international examples under the theme ‘Urbanity and the Expansion of Boundaries.’
Part 2 will be held under the theme ‘In the Semiconductor Era, What Should We Prepare for First?’ It will cover a wide range of topics, from the conditions for becoming a semiconductor city to the challenges involved. In particular, developers and other domestic and international experts will gather for a roundtable discussion.
An institute official said, “This gathering of developers and domestic and international experts will cover a broad range of topics, including industrial sites, infrastructure and urban spatial restructuring.” The official added, “It will be a meaningful opportunity to take stock of the future of Jeonnam-Gwangju.”

[email protected] Lee Jong-bae Reporter