President Lee Jae-myung directed on September 29 that the temporary relocation of the Gwangju Military Airport, a prerequisite for establishing a semiconductor cluster in the Honam region, be expedited. He emphasized that the currently planned mid-2028 timeline is too late and instructed officials to consider revising relevant laws, regulations, and guidelines to accelerate the process. This is crucial for the success of the three major mega projects centered on semiconductors, AI data centers, and physical AI.
Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong announced these directives during a briefing on the results of the third joint public-private review meeting for the mega projects held at the Blue House.
President Lee received updates from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment regarding the progress and plans for the southern semiconductor industrial complex, checking for any issues with water and power supply.
After listening to the Defense Ministry's plans for the temporary relocation of the Gwangju Military Airport, President Lee stated, "Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures," and emphasized that if necessary, changes to laws and regulations should be considered.
The relocation of the Gwangju Military Airport is seen as a critical factor in determining the pace of the semiconductor cluster project in the Honam region. With significant investments from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix planned, the government aims to utilize the airport site for the semiconductor industrial complex. President Lee had previously inspected the site on June 30 during a helicopter tour of potential advanced industrial sites in the southwestern region.
The Blue House clarified that President Lee did not specify a new completion date for the relocation. Spokesperson Kang noted, "The relocation of the military airport can serve as a starting point for many projects and can accelerate progress, so we should explore ways to expedite it. However, no specific timeline has been discussed yet."
In line with President Lee's directives, the Defense Ministry and other relevant agencies will review options to shorten the timeline for the airport's temporary relocation. As the base is jointly used by the U.S. and South Korean air forces, discussions with U.S. forces will also be a factor, but the Blue House stated that there were no related discussions during the meeting.
According to Spokesperson Kang, the meeting also addressed the living conditions in areas where the mega projects are being pursued, in addition to the relocation of the Gwangju Military Airport.
President Lee emphasized that the ultimate success of the mega projects will be determined not by the scale of investment but by how much the lives of citizens improve. He stressed the need to develop housing, education, healthcare, and cultural facilities alongside the establishment of industrial complexes.
Regarding cultural facilities, after receiving reports on plans for a dome stadium and arena, he remarked, "Demand surveys will be important," urging thorough consideration of their effectiveness and efficiency. He also encouraged proactive measures to attract people to the region in the education and healthcare sectors.
Samsung Electronics expressed concerns about difficulties in securing foreign talent. President Lee asked Kim Yong-kwan, president of Samsung Electronics, about practical measures to improve the living conditions for businesses and instructed a review of expanding the 'K-Tech Pass' program to include more schools for attracting top international talent.
The discussion also included strategies for the spread of AI robots and physical AI. President Lee highlighted that initial purchases by the government could serve as policy support, stressing the importance of creating a market and ecosystem through early procurement. He suggested holding public briefings for the media to actively communicate policy details.
On the same day, President Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter) about the focus on creating living conditions essential for the success of the mega projects.
He stated, "The goal of the mega projects is to attract young people and talent to the regions, ensuring that all areas and citizens benefit from growth. To achieve this, it is essential to create attractive living conditions in housing, education, healthcare, and cultural sectors alongside advanced industrial investments."
President Lee concluded by asserting, "The success of the mega projects is the future of South Korea," promising thorough management through the newly established 'National Strategic Investment Advisory' organization within the Blue House.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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