On June 27, President Lee Jae-myung dismissed concerns about water shortages related to the Honam semiconductor cluster, asserting that sufficient industrial water supply is feasible. He stated on X (formerly Twitter) that "with an appropriate management system for urban development and proper allocation of water resources, it has been reviewed that a supply of 1 million tons of industrial water per day is possible."
President Lee emphasized, "Honam has as much water as the Yeongnam region or the capital area," and noted that major companies like Samsung and SK Hynix would not plan to build large-scale factories in areas lacking essential water resources without thorough consideration. He added that the government does not encourage factories to be built in water-scarce regions.
He further claimed, "For decades, political motives have led to the management of Honam at an agricultural city level, leaving water resources only sufficient for agricultural use." He called for understanding and cooperation on regional balanced development and nationwide coexistence policies, emphasizing that the fate of South Korea is at stake.
Kim Yong-beom, head of the Presidential Policy Office, reiterated the government's stance on social media, stating that utilizing dam surplus, unused water from decades of over-allocation, large agricultural reservoirs, and recycled wastewater would ensure sufficient water resources.
These remarks come amid discussions about potential semiconductor investments by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix in Honam, in response to recent criticisms regarding water shortages from opposition parties.
Shortly after his initial post, President Lee shared another message on social media, saying, "In the eyes of a department, there is a department, and in the eyes of a pig, there is a pig," suggesting that people often project their own thoughts and actions onto others.
A spokesperson from the Presidential Office described this as a "principled statement," expressing regret over the spread of unfounded claims regarding corporate investments in local areas.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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