[Issue] Gwangju Military Airport Secures 800 Trillion Won Semiconductor Project... The Remaining Challenge is 'Swift Relocation'

Government Finalizes Site for Honam Region Semiconductor Industrial Complex
Selects 2.5 Million Pyeong of State-Owned Land, Accelerating "Race Against Time"
Relocation of Military Airport and Securing Muan County’s Consent Are Key
Integrated Metropolitan City Launches Full-Scale Implementation System

The government has finalized the site for the 800 trillion won Southwest Semiconductor Cluster by selecting the Gwangju Military Airport site as the location for Samsung Electronics and SK hynix's new facilities. This comes a week after Samsung Electronics and SK hynix announced their plans last month to build two semiconductor fabrication plants each—four fabs in total—in the Integrated Metropolitan City of Jeonnam Gwangju, and President Lee Jaemyung revealed a joint commitment with the two companies to pursue both the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster and the Southwestern Semiconductor Cluster simultaneously.

Gwangju Military Airport, confirmed by the government as the site for the semiconductor industrial complex in the Honam region. Photo by Soh Bohyun

With the government confirming the location of the semiconductor production hub, the project has taken a significant step forward. However, the designation of the site does not mean the factories will be built immediately. The Gwangju Military Airport is currently a military facility used by the Air Force. The relocation of the military airport, subsequent administrative procedures, securing electricity and water supply, and infrastructure construction must all proceed in tandem, and the pace of these efforts is expected to determine the project's success or failure.

'Speed' Behind the Choice of Gwangju Military Airport

The government chose the Gwangju Military Airport for its speed of execution and site competitiveness.

At a briefing at the Chunchugwan Press Center in the Blue House on the 6th, Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoonsik stated, "Among the Honam region site candidates, businesses identified Gwangju Military Airport as the most suitable location," and added, "At the Mega Project Public-Private Joint Task Force meeting, we decided to establish the Honam Semiconductor Industrial Complex at the Gwangju Military Airport site."

The government highlighted as key advantages the fact that the Gwangju Military Airport site can secure an area of about 8.2 million square meters (2.5 million pyeong), and that the airport's existing flat terrain would shorten the site development period compared to a general industrial complex.

The site is close to downtown Gwangju and KTX Gwangju Songjeong Station, making it excellent for attracting specialized talent and providing good living conditions. It also boasts strong logistics accessibility, as it is linked to road, airport, and port networks. Furthermore, the site can be connected to existing industrial bases such as the National AI Data Center, AI Industry Convergence Complex, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), and the Advanced Industrial Complex.

The high proportion of state-owned land is considered another major advantage. This can significantly reduce the time-consuming land compensation process typical of industrial complex developments and lower the risk of delays due to the acquisition of private land.

The government plans to gradually establish an infrastructure capable of supplying 6.3GW of electricity and 650,000 tons of industrial water per day to operate the four semiconductor fabs.

This decision is also in line with President Lee Jaemyung's emphasis on "speed" during the Mega Project Public-Private Joint Task Force meeting earlier in the day.

President Lee stated, "In an all-out competition that will determine the nation's fate, speed is the deciding factor," and emphasized, "There must never be any delay in investment execution due to administrative hold-ups." He also cited the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster, which took six years from site confirmation to groundbreaking, pointing out that "by my standards, that's not fast."

He further instructed that land compensation, environmental impact assessments, and permits should be pursued concurrently wherever possible, and that securing electricity and water should be done proactively without waiting for other procedures. Referring to the role of local government, he personally introduced the Integrated Metropolitan City of Jeonnam Gwangju Council's ordinance to support semiconductor investment.

Semiconductor Site Confirmed... The Remaining Challenge is Military Airport Relocation

Although the government has finalized the site, the biggest challenge remains the relocation of the military airport.

The Gwangju Military Airport is currently a military facility used by the Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing. Relocating the airport is a prerequisite for establishing the semiconductor industrial complex.

The Ministry of National Defense also stated, "No specific plan regarding the relocation of Gwangju Military Airport has been decided yet," adding, "We will work closely with the Air Force to ensure there are no gaps in defense readiness while supporting national policy."

Chief Secretary Kang Hoonsik likewise explained that discussions about relocating the airport are based on the premise that it will be done as early as possible, as long as it does not create a security vacuum.

The current procedure for relocating the military airport is centered on Muan County. In April, the Ministry of National Defense selected the Mangun-myeon area in Muan County as a preliminary relocation candidate site and is carrying out follow-up procedures to designate the final site.

The second meeting of the site selection committee, which was originally scheduled for the end of last month, was postponed due to the announcement of the semiconductor project and the launch of the Integrated Metropolitan City of Jeonnam Gwangju. With the launch of the new city, the consultative body will also be restructured. The remaining steps are to designate the candidate site, prepare a support plan, and conduct a resident vote before finalizing the relocation site.

The greatest variable is the acceptance level of Muan County.

Muan County maintains that specific implementation plans must first be prepared for the three previously proposed preconditions: the relocation of Gwangju Civil Airport to Muan International Airport, 1 trillion won in support from the government and the Integrated Metropolitan City of Jeonnam Gwangju, and groundbreaking national-level incentives. The county has expressed willingness to participate in negotiations if these preconditions become tangible, but repeatedly stressed that the project should not proceed without resident trust and consent.

"Now the Ball is in the Integrated Metropolitan City's Court"

Min Hyungbae, Mayor of the Integrated Metropolitan City of Jeonnam Gwangju, described the government's decision as "a great and historic determination by the Lee Jaemyung administration" and pledged comprehensive support from the city.

Mayor Min stated, "Speed is everything for the Honam Semiconductor Cluster," adding, "The companies are seeking a definite site where construction can begin quickly, and citizens are awaiting the results of overwhelming growth." He continued, "For semiconductor investment to translate into actual factories and jobs, we must seek the fastest, most realistic, and most scalable path. Once the airport is relocated, the military airport site will be the optimal location for semiconductor plants."

However, he also noted, "The military airport is directly linked to national defense and security functions, and its relocation has long been a regional issue. Since national defense and security, transportation and logistics systems, corporate investment schedules, and citizens' expectations are all intricately intertwined, this is no easy task." He went on to say, "Today's government announcement expresses the nation's determination to unravel this difficult knot, and it is a clear signal that the President is personally overseeing the execution phase of the Honam Semiconductor Cluster project."

Min Hyung-bae, former Mayor of Gwangju-Jeonnam Metropolitan City, is inspecting the Air Force ammunition depot site near Gwangju Military Airport on the 7th. The government selected Gwangju Military Airport as the site for the Honam semiconductor cluster. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Mayor Min concluded, "If the government has played the role of a strong and fast locomotive, now the ball is in the Integrated Metropolitan City's court. In tandem with the government's military airport relocation and industrial complex development, we will meticulously and swiftly prepare for electricity and water supply, the establishment of transportation and logistics networks, talent development, and living conditions."

He added, "We will not fall behind the government's push for speed, and we will ensure that security remains uncompromised while safeguarding citizens' lives and regional interests. We will provide companies with a definite location and deliver the results of overwhelming growth to our citizens. Together with the Lee Jaemyung administration, the Integrated Metropolitan City of Jeonnam Gwangju will make this happen. We will ensure the success of the Honam Semiconductor Cluster."

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