Minister Kim Seong-hwan: "Sufficient Water Supply for Gwangju-Jeonnam Semiconductor Complex... No Review of Seawater Desalination"

"Water System Adjustments and Surplus Capacity Utilization... Securing Over 1 Million Tons per Day Additional Supply"

Kim Seong-hwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, dismissed concerns about potential water shortages related to the establishment of the Gwangju-Jeonnam semiconductor industrial complex. He stated that the existing dams and water system management in the Yeongsan River and Seomjin River basins alone would be sufficient to supply the industrial water needed for the semiconductor industrial complex.

On June 27, through his social media, Minister Kim said, "Recently, some media outlets have raised concerns about the water supply for the Gwangju and Jeonnam semiconductor industrial complex, but there is a gap between these reports and what the government is actually reviewing."

Minister Kim explained, "Although the Yeongsan River and Seomjin River basins are smaller in area than the Han River or Nakdong River, the Seomjin River Dam, Juam Dam, and five other dams together can store about 1.5 billion tons of water. These dams can supply up to 3.37 million tons per day for domestic, industrial, agricultural, and river maintenance purposes."

He added, "Through water system adjustments at some dams and the use of surplus capacity, it is being reviewed that an additional supply of more than 1 million tons per day can be secured."

Minister Kim also said that some of the alternatives mentioned by the media are not factual. He stated, "The options such as water supply from other regions or seawater desalination mentioned in the reports differ from what the government is currently considering."

He emphasized, "The semiconductor industry is an industry where stable water and electricity supply are of utmost importance. The government is prioritizing these foundational conditions during the review of the industrial complex development plans."

Minister Kim said, "While I will listen to various opinions and criticism, it is necessary to accurately explain the relevant facts so that the public is not confused. More detailed information will be provided in an official announcement next week."

Meanwhile, the government is pushing ahead with its plan to establish the 'second semiconductor cluster,' fostering the Gwangju-Jeonnam region as a new hub for semiconductor production. According to industry sources, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are reportedly in the final stages of coordinating with the government on plans to build large-scale semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Gwangju and Jeonnam.

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