Kim Young-rok, Min Hyeong-bae Vie on AI, Semiconductor Pledges for Gwangju Mayor Race

Democratic Party candidates Kim Young-rok and Min Hyeong-bae, who have put fostering the AI and semiconductor industry as key pledges for the Jeonnam-Gwangju region's future growth engines, have revealed their plans to make the region a hub for future industries in line with regional balanced development policies.

Candidate Kim Young-rok announced a plan to expand the semiconductor ecosystem, currently concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, to the southern region, attracting 50 trillion won in investment and establishing semiconductor clusters in three zones across Gwangju and the eastern and western parts of Jeonnam. Kim proposed an industrial electricity rate of 120 won per kWh.

Candidate Min Hyeong-bae proposed an industrial electricity rate of 100 won per kWh and presented a 'semiconductor triangle' strategy: R&D, design, and packaging in Gwangju, and AI data centers and renewable energy-based production bases in the eastern and western parts of Jeonnam. Min stated that he would realize the 100 won electricity rate by establishing a 'Jeonnam-Gwangju Electric Power Corporation' to improve the power distribution structure.

Both candidates have discussed investment models with domestic and international companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Min revealed that he is reviewing a structure where investment profits are returned to citizens through dividend income after utilizing regional budgets for investment.