Lee Jun-seok Endorses Yoo Yi-dong in Pyeongtaek Election, Emphasizes Semiconductor Industry

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, urged voters on May 28 to support Yoo Yi-dong, the People Power Party candidate running in the Pyeongtaek by-election, one day before early voting for the local elections and by-elections begins.

In a Facebook post, Lee stated, "As the leader of the Reform Party, I ask you not just as a party leader but as a member of the National Assembly who must protect the semiconductor industry in southern Gyeonggi and the rights of engineers and researchers."

He continued, "Yoo, who has shared the same concerns for over a decade with the development of the Godeok International New Town and Dongtan, deserves another opportunity to work in the National Assembly. He is someone I have trusted for a long time and whom I personally recruited as the chair of the policy committee. He has consistently spoken the truth without bearing any responsibility for the military regime or the failures of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration."

Lee also targeted Kim Yong-nam, the Democratic Party candidate, and Cho Guk, the Justice Party candidate, saying, "There are individuals with allegations of operating illegal loan businesses and controversies surrounding their children attending foreign language high schools while being listed as authors on engineering papers. I hope those with such controversies are eliminated from consideration, as they tarnish the pride built on the hard work and research ethics of the engineering community in both cities."

He emphasized the importance of the semiconductor belt in southern Gyeonggi, stating, "Geographically, with Dongtan at the center, the semiconductor belt includes Samsung Electronics' Hwaseong campus, Pyeongtaek campus, SK Hynix's Icheon and Cheongju campuses, and the soon-to-be-operational Yongin Nam-sa and Won-sam cluster. This semiconductor belt is the heart and future of South Korea's industry. Ensuring these massive production bases operate smoothly is essential for maintaining and enhancing Dongtan's value."

Lee noted, "Recently, when meeting with Dongtan residents, I often hear their concerns. Some members of the Democratic Party have suggested relocating the semiconductor belt to Saemangeum or Jeollanam-do. However, the reality is that there are not enough colleagues in the National Assembly to counter such attempts in southern Gyeonggi."

He concluded, "I hope that at least the National Assembly members representing Dongtan, which houses the Samsung Electronics Hwaseong campus, and Pyeongtaek, which houses the Pyeongtaek campus, can work together to protect this issue. If the residents of Dongtan persuade their colleagues in Pyeongtaek, and vice versa, we will have two National Assembly members who can solve the issues facing both Dongtan and Pyeongtaek together."