Shin Jeong-hoon, a member of the Democratic Party representing the Naju and Hwasun districts in Jeollanam-do and Gwangju, stated that the Honam semiconductor cluster is a national strategy to establish a second production base for South Korea's semiconductor competitiveness, following the capital region.
On October 6, during a National Assembly audit, Shin emphasized that the Honam semiconductor cluster is not merely about increasing regional shares or forcibly relocating companies.
The government has announced plans to create a second semiconductor production base in the southwestern region by establishing four semiconductor fabs and a supporting ecosystem for partners and workforce, with a total investment of 800 trillion won.
Shin noted, "In 2023, the Yeongsan River basin accounted for only 1.7% of the total industrial water usage, while the Han River basin accounted for 31.1% and the Nakdong River basin 33.7%, showing a gap of 18 to 20 times. This indicates that it was not a lack of water in Honam, but rather the absence of industries that required large amounts of industrial water."
He added, "This gap illustrates that the industrial foundation in Honam has been so weak that it is essentially at the level of cottage industries during the industrialization process."
Shin emphasized, "Utilizing abundant energy and water resources for advanced industries like semiconductors in the region and encouraging more industries and investments is the true essence of balanced development."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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