Yongin Semiconductor Complex Section 1 to Begin Site Construction Next Month... Accelerated Push for Fab 1 Groundbreaking by 2028

Two Months Shorter Than Planned
Streamlined Approval Process and Increased Workforce
Samsung Electronics to Begin Construction of Fab 1 in 2028

On September 30, in Idong-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, climbing onto the rooftop of a building revealed National Route 45 cutting across vast fields and farmland. Beyond the fields and the deforested mountain slopes lies a site of approximately 7.78 million square meters, where the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex will be constructed. Beginning with the groundbreaking for the initial site development work next month, plans are underway to accelerate the industrial complex’s development so that Samsung Electronics can commence construction of its first semiconductor fabrication plant by 2028.

The area around Idong-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin City. Beyond the farmland and the logged mountains, the site of the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex stretches out. Photo by Lee Ji-eun

On October 1, LH announced that construction will begin next month on the priority zone of Section 1 of the Yongin Semiconductor National Industrial Complex. By conducting compensation and preliminary work in parallel, and increasing the labor workforce, the timeline has been shortened by two months compared to the original schedule.

The Yongin Semiconductor National Industrial Complex project will construct six semiconductor factories, three power generation facilities, and an industrial gas supply facility on approximately 7.78 million square meters in Cheoin-gu, Yongin City. The project is divided into two sections, with Section 1 located west of Songjeoncheon stream in Yongin. Section 1 is a key zone accounting for about 44% (around 3.45 million square meters) of the industrial complex’s total area, where Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor production lines will be established in the future. The estimated construction cost is KRW 1.086 trillion, making it the largest project ordered by LH this year.

LH has shortened the site development period by two months through a 'three-phase acceleration strategy' tailored to on-site conditions. First, the number of dedicated employees for the national industrial complex was increased from 30 to 53, and priority zones were designated for projects requiring urgent advancement, such as semiconductor sites. Compensation and preliminary work phases were carried out simultaneously to shorten the overall process duration.

As a result, Section 1 obtained regulatory approval just eight months after the application for the industrial complex plan was submitted in April 2024. The land compensation process also entered the negotiation and acceptance stage only six months after the compensation notice was issued in June last year. LH expects that the period required to reach the negotiation acceptance phase—which previously took three years and four months—can be reduced to as little as one year and seven months. A representative from LH stated, "Currently, compensation for privately owned land has reached 99% completion."

Aerial view of Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex. Provided by LH.

There are also plans to increase the amount of blasting work to shorten the construction timeline. Given that the development of the Yongin Semiconductor Industrial Complex requires the processing of approximately 50 million tons of soil and rock, LH decided to introduce highly water-resistant explosives and precision electronic detonators to efficiently boost blasting capacity. In consideration of safety risks, AI and advanced robotics technology will be adopted to establish a smart safety management system.

Lee Sunghoon, CEO of LH, stated, "We will complete the development of the industrial complex ahead of schedule by working closely with contractors and related agencies, thereby firmly supporting the successful execution of the government's three major mega-projects."

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