Honam Semiconductor Water Dispute Intensifies Under Lee Jae-myung Administration

Lee Jae-myung Administration Faces Intensifying 'Water Dispute' Over Honam Semiconductor Investment... National Cause vs. Regional Conflict

The plan to create an advanced semiconductor industry ecosystem in the Honam region, being pushed by President Lee Jae-myung, has become embroiled in a fierce debate over 'industrial water shortages.' President Lee countered claims of 'insufficient water for Honam semiconductors' on the 28th, stating, 'Would we not have considered water supply?' He emphasized the need to guard against fostering conflict, asserting the project is for a national cause, not special favors for a particular region. However, the People Power Party criticized President Lee's remarks as promoting regional conflict, citing an SNS message that suggested 'only pigs see pigs,' and continued its negative stance on negotiations for the Assembly's committee chairmanships.

Through his SNS account that day, President Lee sent a message titled 'Honam Semiconductor, Not Special Favor but National Cause... Don't Foster Conflict,' directly responding to the concerns and backlash from regional residents. In the process, ahead of the unveiling of plans for advanced industry investments worth 1,000 trillion won by major corporations like Samsung Electronics and SK Group, and government support measures, he explained the background of site selection and the issues of securing industrial water, stressing the necessity of the project. This is interpreted as a strategy to highlight that it is a core part of the 'Three Major Mega Projects for Korea's Leap Forward,' aimed at overcoming the Seoul metropolitan area-centric system and enhancing national competitiveness, rather than simply benefiting a specific region.

In this manner, attracting large-scale semiconductor investment to the Honam region is a complex intertwining of the macro goal of 'national economic development' and the sensitive political issue of 'balanced regional development.' However, as the issue of securing industrial water, essential for large-scale industrial facilities, has been brought into public discourse without concrete measures, concerns are growing alongside expectations. Particularly, as the Honam semiconductor cluster project, proposed as a regional pledge alongside the designation of Jeonbuk as a financial hub, faces the practical hurdle of 'water shortage,' regional residents' disappointment is increasing, and political arguments are intensifying. President Lee's warning against 'fostering conflict' appears to be made with these internal conflicts and external criticisms in mind.

Political Feud Intensifies Over Advanced Industry Investment

The semiconductor industry investment plan for the Honam region, promoted by President Lee Jae-myung, is becoming a politically charged issue beyond mere economic policy. The People Power Party vehemently criticized President Lee's SNS remarks, 'Only pigs see pigs,' stating, 'Those with pure hearts see pure things, and pigs see pigs,' and accusing him of inciting regional conflict. People Power Party Floor Leader Jung Jin-suk reaffirmed his negative stance on negotiations for the Assembly's committee chairmanships, saying, 'I have no intention of begging for the chairmanship.' Party spokesperson Jang Dong-hyuk also labeled the president's remarks as 'regional divisionism' and continued his offensive.

Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, claimed President Lee's handling of Samsung Electronics and SK Group's Honam semiconductor investment constituted 'abuse of presidential power' and engaged in a debate with the Democratic Party. In response, the Democratic Party announced its intention to file a complaint against Ahn for his 'abuse of power' claims, heightening tensions. In this context, Kim Yong-bum, a figure from the Democratic Party who appeared on the Kim Ou-joon YouTube channel, recalled past instances where he was fiercely attacked by former People Power Party interim leader Han Dong-hoon with the question, 'Is Kim Ou-joon a major shareholder of Samsung and SK?' This suggests the issue has emerged as a key political agenda beyond simple regional development.

Meanwhile, a Realmeter survey result was released showing President Lee Jae-myung's job performance rating dropped for the sixth consecutive week to 46.5%, while negative assessments stood at 49.5%, remaining in the 40% range for two consecutive weeks. Amidst this declining approval rating, large-scale policy initiatives like the Honam semiconductor investment are acting as complex factors, simultaneously rallying the support base and drawing criticism from the opposition. Notably, his directive for swift reform in sports administration, diagnosing the national football team's World Cup failure as an 'unexpected result due to personnel failure,' is interpreted as an effort to show his will for internal reform by repeatedly pointing out issues in the personnel system.

Industrial Water Supply Emerges as Key Variable for Success in Regional Development

The semiconductor cluster development project in the Honam region holds the potential to reshape the national economic landscape. With leading domestic companies like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix planning substantial investments, the project is expected to significantly contribute to economic vitalization in the region and enhance the competitiveness of Korea's semiconductor industry. This is seen as a crucial opportunity to address the long-standing challenge of 'balanced national development,' mitigating the concentration of economic activity in the capital region and reducing inter-regional economic disparities. President Lee Jae-myung's emphasis on advanced industry investment to 'overcome the Seoul metropolitan area-centric system' can be understood in this context.

However, the practical hurdle of 'industrial water shortage' could pose the biggest obstacle to the project's progress. Semiconductor manufacturing requires vast amounts of purified water, and large-scale investment is difficult to realize without a stable water supply. Furthermore, environmental issues such as electricity supply for factory operation and wastewater treatment also require careful review and countermeasures. Without a concrete roadmap for such infrastructure development and environmental solutions, regional residents' anxiety is bound to escalate. This ultimately weakens the project's momentum and carries the potential to evolve into regional conflict in the long term.

Amidst the political wrangling, the core issue lies in the transparent disclosure of actual infrastructure development plans and environmental impact assessment results. While the Lee Jae-myung administration is strongly asserting its commitment to the project under the banner of 'national cause,' it must present clear and convincing solutions to specific problems like 'industrial water shortage' to gain public support. To dispel criticisms of 'special favors' and suspicions of 'fostering conflict,' and for the Honam semiconductor cluster project to serve as a successful case that practically contributes to regional and national economic development, meticulous and realistic planning, along with transparent information disclosure, are paramount. The government's future announcement of specific water acquisition and infrastructure construction plans is expected to be a crucial variable in determining the direction of this issue.