South Korea picks Gwangju military airport site for Honam chip cluster

By Candice Kim Posted : July 6, 2026, 16:52 Updated : July 6, 2026, 17:14
From left: Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee, Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik and President Lee Jae Myung/ Courtesy of the Presidential Office

SEOUL, July 06 (AJP) - South Korea will build its planned Honam semiconductor cluster on the site of the Gwangju military airport after the government selected the location as the preferred site for the project, the presidential office said on Monday.

The decision was reached during a public-private review meeting on the government's three flagship regional development projects chaired by President Lee Jae Myung, Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik said. The government will complete the site selection process through consultations among relevant ministries as quickly as possible, Kang said.

According to the presidential office, companies participating in the discussions concluded that the Gwangju military airport site offers the best conditions for the project. The site can secure about 2.5 million pyeong of land, while its existing flat terrain, developed for airport operations, is expected to reduce construction time for the industrial complex.

The location is also close to downtown Gwangju and a KTX high-speed rail station, providing favorable conditions for securing skilled workers and supporting residential infrastructure, Kang said. The site also offers efficient logistics access through road, airport and port networks.

 
Graphics by AJP Song Ji-yoon

The presidential office said President Lee will hold monthly public-private review meetings to monitor progress on the semiconductor cluster and the government's three regional mega projects. Lee also plans to establish a dedicated task force within the presidential office to oversee implementation and coordinate relevant ministries, according to Kang.

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