Gwangju Military Airport Selected as Honam Cluster Site... The Key Variable: "Airport Relocation"

8.2 Million Square Meter Site Can Accommodate Fabs
Leveled Land Advantageous for Construction
Key Issue: Relocation of Muan Airport Faces Resident Opposition

On July 6, the Blue House and the government selected Gwangju Military Airport as the site for a new semiconductor cluster in the Honam region. Industry insiders highlight the site's strengths, including its large area suitable for building semiconductor fabs, as well as the availability of essential infrastructure such as electricity and water supply. However, the unresolved issue of relocating the airport remains a key variable in securing the site.

Kang Hoon-sik, Chief Presidential Secretary, announced during a briefing on the "Mega Project Public-Private Joint Review Meeting" presided over by President Lee Jaemyung, "At today's meeting, it was decided to establish a semiconductor industrial complex for the Honam region at the Gwangju Military Airport site."

According to the semiconductor industry and other sources, Gwangju Military Airport, selected as the site for the new Honam semiconductor cluster, can secure a large area of 8.2 million square meters, including the Air Force airfield and ammunition depot sites. It is considered suitable for creating a large-scale industrial complex that can house semiconductor plants, partner companies, and research facilities together. The site comprises 6.13 million square meters of airport land, 780,000 square meters for the ammunition depot, and 1.28 million square meters for the ammunition depot safety zone. It is known that about 3 million square meters are needed to accommodate the four semiconductor fabs planned by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

On the 6th, a training aircraft from the 1st Combat Flight Wing flew over the Gwangju military airport area. Photo by Yonhap News Agency.

The Gwangju Military Airport site is already equipped with infrastructure such as electricity and water supply, and a significant portion has been leveled, making it advantageous for factory construction. The area also boasts excellent living conditions thanks to a transportation network connecting KTX Gwangju Songjeong Station, the Honam Expressway, the Second Ring Road, and Muan International Airport. In addition, the proximity of the National AI Data Center, the AI Industry Convergence Complex, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), and the Advanced Industrial Complex is expected to facilitate the creation of an advanced industrial ecosystem. The industry also expects that the presence of GIST, Chonnam National University, Chosun University, Korea Energy Engineering University, Jeonbuk National University, and local Meister high schools will enable the cultivation of AI and semiconductor talent.

Water supply is also expected to be feasible through water from the Yeongsan River and the Yongyeon Water Purification Plant. Local authorities are reviewing plans to secure 1 million tons of industrial water per day, and options such as the reuse of domestic wastewater, seawater desalination, and integrated regional water resource management are being discussed. Yoon Seok-dae, President of Korea Water Resources Corporation, also emphasized that there would be no problem securing water supply, highlighting the potential for stable water provision. The presence of Korea Electric Power Corporation’s headquarters in Naju and renewable energy infrastructure are also considered competitive advantages.

However, the relocation of the military and civil airports is cited as the biggest variable. Although the area near Muan Airport was selected as the candidate site for relocating Gwangju Military Airport, ongoing opposition from Muan County and local residents has led to concerns that it may be difficult to begin construction within the next two to three years. Thus, the speed at which the military airport relocation can be carried out after persuading local residents is expected to determine whether the semiconductor cluster can be established during the current administration's term.

Even after the site selection, it is expected that expanding the power grid will require a significant amount of time. To operate all four semiconductor fabs, approximately 6.3 GW of electricity will be needed, making the construction of substations and transmission lines essential.

Min Hyung-bae, Mayor of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Integrated Special City, recently visited the Gwangju Military Airport site and remarked, "Once the military airport is relocated, this will be the best site for a semiconductor plant. There are two large runways here that can be used for the plant site. It is ideal land for factories."

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