SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won inspected the proposed Honam semiconductor industrial complex site at the Gwangju Military Airport, stating that the company intends to build at the location at maximum speed to meet surging industry demand, according to KBS.
Strategic Project Parameters
- Investment and Scope: The government project spans an 8.26 million square meter site with an 800 trillion won financial injection.
- Facility Output: Plans outline the construction of four semiconductor fabrication plants for SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics.
- Infrastructure Caveats: Chairman Chey conditioned the rapid timeline on essential government and municipal support, including the military airport relocation, power, and water utilities.
Inspecting the Gwangju Military Airport Site
The visit by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won marks the first corporate inspection since the government announced the Honam mega project three months prior. KBS reported that Chey emphasized the necessity of accelerating semiconductor production lines to match rapid market consumption.
“Given how fast semiconductor demand is increasing, the current situation requires us to speed up our supply matching as quickly as possible,” Chey stated, as cited by KBS. He added that if conditions permit construction on-site, the conglomerate aims to build at maximum speed.
Balancing Infrastructure Demands with Construction Speed
The site requires fundamental infrastructure development, specifically the military airport relocation issue.
Despite potential utility bottlenecks, Chey signaled a willingness to break ground ahead of final utility provisions. “Even if water and power supplies are delayed, my thought is to move in first if we can secure the right timing,” Chey noted, according to KBS.
Comparative Scale Against the Yongin Cluster
The Gwangju initiative is slated to run alongside the Yongin semiconductor industrial complex, where completion targets were accelerated by 12 years to 2033. Chey outlined the current spatial metrics for the Honam site during his inspection.
Plans currently project the Gwangju facility at approximately two-thirds the scale of the Yongin cluster. However, Chey indicated that further land availability and sustained demand could drive expansions beyond the initial footprint.
