People Power Party Lawmakers from Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang: "Honam Semiconductor Investment Is Vote Populism... Site Evaluation Data Must Be Disclosed"

"What President Lee Should Do Is Respond to Trade Frontlines"

On June 30, People Power Party lawmakers from the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions strongly expressed regret over the Blue House's announcement of semiconductor investment in the Honam region, criticizing it as "vote-seeking populism." They also demanded that the criteria for selecting the region be made public, emphasizing that "what the President should be doing is responding to the threats to the international order faced by South Korea's semiconductor industry."

Yonhap News Agency

On this day, People Power Party lawmakers from Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam held a press conference at the National Assembly Communications Center, stating, "Semiconductor factories cannot be built based on votes," and criticizing the announcement of the Blue House's plan to invest in semiconductors in the Honam region as well as the exclusion of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam from consideration as production bases. Attendees included Kim Do-eup, Kim Mi-ae, and Jeong Dong-man from Busan; Kim Ki-hyun, Kim Tae-kyu, and Seo Bum-soo from Ulsan; and Kim Tae-ho, Park Dae-chul, and Yoon Han-hong from Gyeongnam.

The lawmakers stated, "After President Lee Jae-myung's year-end remarks, the plan for semiconductor investment in Honam was rapidly formalized. There have also been reports that it was coordinated with corporate leaders," adding, "Selecting semiconductor production bases typically requires long-term consideration of factors such as site, power grid, water supply, environment, workforce, and the ecosystem of partner companies. Announcing the plan first and only later providing justification is not industrial policy, but a political maneuver and vote-seeking populism."

The lawmakers clarified, "We are not opposed to the development of the Honam region, nor are we trying to block the growth of any particular area. Every region has the need and right to grow," adding, "Of course, balanced national development according to the Constitution and the law is necessary." However, they emphasized, "Political intervention must not occur in determining the location of a national strategic industry under the name of balanced development," and stated, "The semiconductor industry should not be swayed by a single presidential remark or the ruling party's political schedule."

The lawmakers pointed out, "All processes related to the Honam semiconductor investment are non-transparent." They continued, "The government claims that companies made voluntary decisions. If that is the case, then release the relevant materials," and demanded, "Explain to the public why Honam was chosen, what criteria were used, and how it was compared to other regions, including Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam." They also called for "the immediate release of the site evaluation table" and "the disclosure of plans for power supply and water procurement."

The lawmakers asserted, "The areas where Samsung Electronics and SK hynix should focus in the global market are not regional conflicts within the country," and cited "U.S. protectionism, tariff pressure, and supply chain restructuring, as well as competition from China, Taiwan, and Japanese companies" as the real challenges. They further stated, "The government’s full effort should be directed at the international trade front, not at the Blue House press room," adding, "It is not the time for the President to act as an arbiter of domestic semiconductor site selection."

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