Kim Yong-beom, the chief of the Presidential Policy Office, stated on June 28 that "large-scale semiconductor fab clusters outside the capital region represent a very strong national strategy."
In a Facebook post, Kim emphasized that semiconductors are no longer just an issue for a specific industry but a key variable that connects the economy, security, education, youth, the capital region, and local areas, as well as finance and real estate. He likened semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) to the infrastructure of today, borrowing terminology from social sciences of the 1980s.
He noted that amid the current semiconductor boom, questions arise regarding production, liquidity, and youth opportunities. "We must increase production while directing excess liquidity to productive areas and creating new opportunities for young people," he said.
Kim argued that conventional approaches are insufficient, calling for a bold national strategy that includes building more fabs and ensuring that excess liquidity is invested outside of capital region apartments. He also advocated for providing programs for youth on the scale of a New Deal.
He clarified that the semiconductor fab clusters outside the capital are not merely a regional development policy but a national strategy that addresses three simultaneous challenges: industrial policy, macroeconomic policy, and social policy.
Kim pointed out that past ideologies and political frameworks cannot adequately explain the current situation, stating, "Our public discourse is still anchored in the past, caught up in ideological debates, value disputes, and endless political wrangling."
He warned that if the country remains bogged down by unproductive debates and endless procedures, it risks missing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "Value debates do not enrich lives. The reason for politics and policy is to solve the people's livelihood issues," he concluded.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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