SEOUL, August 10 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Monday urged officials to speed up large-scale artificial intelligence (AI)-related investment initiatives to build a massive semiconductor cluster and related infrastructure in regional areas including South Jeolla Province.
Lee made the remarks at a meeting to assess progress on the mega projects unveiled in June, under which Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have pledged a combined 800 trillion won (US$570 billion) in investment.
Specifically, Lee called for early use of a military air base in Gwangju, selected as a main site for the planned semiconductor cluster. He instructed the Defense Ministry to temporarily relocate the base's functions to another nearby military airport by mid-2028 so the existing site can be used for the project.
He said preparations can begin even before the military functions are fully relocated, adding that the relocation should not delay the project's planned schedule.
He also stressed that plans to secure electricity and water supplies for the cluster should be prepared without delay, urging officials to work closely with the National Assembly to remove administrative hurdles, regulations and other bureaucratic barriers to the projects.
"At this stage, what matters most is building the cluster as quickly as possible," he said, comparing it to the rapid construction of a similar semiconductor complex in Kumamoto, Japan.
He said the country could not afford to waste time, pushing for "all-out efforts" on the projects.
Lee also asked Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to ensure that their investment plans benefit suppliers and local economies, helping foster a broader industrial ecosystem.
"Once investment is made and factories are built, it will already be too late to change course," Lee said. "We need to think from the beginning of each project about how to create growth that benefits everyone."
AJP Key Takeaways:
- President Lee Jae Myung on Aug. 10, 2026, urged officials to accelerate large-scale artificial intelligence (AI)-related investment projects aimed at building a semiconductor cluster and related infrastructure in regional areas, including South Jeolla Province.
- Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have pledged a combined 800 trillion won (US$570 billion) in investment under mega projects unveiled in June 2026.
- Lee ordered the Defense Ministry to temporarily relocate functions at a military air base in Gwangju to another nearby military airport by mid-2028, allowing the existing site to be used for the planned semiconductor cluster.
- Lee called for preparations for electricity and water supplies to begin without delay and urged officials to work with the National Assembly to remove administrative, regulatory and bureaucratic barriers that could slow the projects.
- Lee urged Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to ensure their investments benefit suppliers and local economies, creating a broader semiconductor industrial ecosystem rather than focusing solely on factory construction.
Lee made the remarks at a meeting to assess progress on the mega projects unveiled in June, under which Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have pledged a combined 800 trillion won (US$570 billion) in investment.
Specifically, Lee called for early use of a military air base in Gwangju, selected as a main site for the planned semiconductor cluster. He instructed the Defense Ministry to temporarily relocate the base's functions to another nearby military airport by mid-2028 so the existing site can be used for the project.
He said preparations can begin even before the military functions are fully relocated, adding that the relocation should not delay the project's planned schedule.
He also stressed that plans to secure electricity and water supplies for the cluster should be prepared without delay, urging officials to work closely with the National Assembly to remove administrative hurdles, regulations and other bureaucratic barriers to the projects.
"At this stage, what matters most is building the cluster as quickly as possible," he said, comparing it to the rapid construction of a similar semiconductor complex in Kumamoto, Japan.
He said the country could not afford to waste time, pushing for "all-out efforts" on the projects.
Lee also asked Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to ensure that their investment plans benefit suppliers and local economies, helping foster a broader industrial ecosystem.
"Once investment is made and factories are built, it will already be too late to change course," Lee said. "We need to think from the beginning of each project about how to create growth that benefits everyone."
AJP Key Takeaways:
- President Lee Jae Myung on Aug. 10, 2026, urged officials to accelerate large-scale artificial intelligence (AI)-related investment projects aimed at building a semiconductor cluster and related infrastructure in regional areas, including South Jeolla Province.
- Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have pledged a combined 800 trillion won (US$570 billion) in investment under mega projects unveiled in June 2026.
- Lee ordered the Defense Ministry to temporarily relocate functions at a military air base in Gwangju to another nearby military airport by mid-2028, allowing the existing site to be used for the planned semiconductor cluster.
- Lee called for preparations for electricity and water supplies to begin without delay and urged officials to work with the National Assembly to remove administrative, regulatory and bureaucratic barriers that could slow the projects.
- Lee urged Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to ensure their investments benefit suppliers and local economies, creating a broader semiconductor industrial ecosystem rather than focusing solely on factory construction.
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