Lee Directly Refutes "Honam Water Shortage Theory": "Samsung and SK Are Not Foolish Enough to Build Factories in Water-Scarce Regions"

President Lee Delivers Direct Rebuttal to Southwestern Water Shortage Claims
"Would the Government Ever Urge Building Semiconductor Plants Where There Is No Water?"
"A Matter That Determines the Fate of Korea, Beyond Political Positions"
Po

On the 27th, President Lee Jae-myung directly refuted the so-called “Honam water shortage theory” that surfaced during the process of creating the Southwest Semiconductor Cluster. With the National Public Briefing on Regional Balanced Development Investment Strategy scheduled for the 29th, and as debates over water supply for semiconductor industry decentralization spread, President Lee intervened himself, stating, “Honam has just as much water as Yeongnam or the Seoul metropolitan area,” seeking to quell the controversy.

President Lee Jae-myung is entering the Senior Secretary Meeting held at the Cheong Wa Dae Yeomin Hall on the 7th. From left, Kim Yongbeom, policy chief; President Lee Jae-myung; Kwon Hyukgi, protocol secretary; and Wi Seongrak, director of the National Security Office. May 7, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On this day, President Lee shared a media report on X (formerly Twitter) that suggested the government is considering repurposing agricultural reservoirs to supply water for a semiconductor cluster in Honam, which is allegedly water-scarce. He stated, “Honam has just as much water as Yeongnam or the Seoul metropolitan area,” adding, “However, for decades, in pursuit of the political objective of regional division and dominance, Honam has been managed as an agricultural city, and water resources have been neglected to the extent of only meeting the needs for agricultural water supply.”

President Lee further remarked, “If we establish a proper management system and allocate and manage water resources appropriately to meet the needs of an advanced city, it has been reviewed that supplying even 1 million tons of industrial water per day is possible.” Since semiconductor manufacturing facilities absolutely require massive supplies of power and water, the assurance of water availability is a key issue in discussions about the Southwest Cluster.

He went on to say, “Semiconductor giants Samsung and SK hynix, which compete for the world’s number one and two spots, would not be so foolish as to plan ultra-large-scale factories in a region lacking a critical element like water without due diligence.” He added, “The government would not encourage building factories in regions without sufficient water, either.”

The message also included a warning against the issue escalating into a political dispute. President Lee stated, “Regardless of political stance, I ask for your understanding and cooperation on the regional balanced development and nationwide co-prosperity policies, which are matters of Korea’s destiny.” He argued that the debate over the Southwest Semiconductor Cluster should be seen not as a matter of favoring a specific region or making political placements, but as an effort to redraw the national industrial map beyond the limits of metropolitan concentration.

Previously, Kim Yongbeom, policy chief at Cheong Wa Dae, also addressed the issue in more detail via Facebook. Kim acknowledged, “It is true that the Southwest region has not had sufficient large-scale industrial water supply infrastructure,” but stressed, “However, that does not mean there is a shortage of water resources.” He argued, “The pool of water resources is sufficient; it is just that the surplus in dam capacity, decades of over-allocated but unused water, large agricultural weirs and storage facilities, and even recycled wastewater are scattered.”

Kim particularly emphasized, “The core issue is not whether water exists, but how we design national-level water management and infrastructure.” Citing plans currently being reviewed and verified by the Ministry of Climate and Energy, he said, “By utilizing already proven water resource management techniques, such as raising dam heights and reallocating agricultural water, it is being reviewed that securing up to 1 million tons per day of industrial water is possible.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.