Minjoo Party: Gwangju-Jeonnam 'Optimal Location' for Semiconductor Investment

Lawmakers from the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions belonging to the Democratic Party of Korea have argued that the Gwangju-Jeonnam area is the most suitable location for new domestic semiconductor industry plants. This statement comes as a rebuttal to claims from the opposition suggesting government pressure was behind the decisions.

Rep. Jeon Jin-sook of the Democratic Party questioned on Facebook, "Why shouldn't Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix semiconductor plants be located in Gwangju-Jeonnam?" emphasizing that Gwangju-Jeonnam is the optimal site due to its abundant water and electricity, which are essential for operating semiconductor plants. Rep. Jeon dismissed claims such as 'political pressure,' 'favoritism for a specific region,' and 'ammunition for political campaigns' regarding the Gwangju-Jeonnam semiconductor cluster concept as 'unreasonable arguments,' and pointed out that framing the selection of future industrial sites using the language of political disputes is irresponsible.

The Democratic Party's rebuttal is expected to strengthen the status of the Integrated Special City of Jeonnam-Gwangju, scheduled to launch on July 1 following the first administrative integration in 40 years, and to deepen the political debate over the development of the semiconductor industry within the region.