[Anchor]

Despite the government's explanation, the People Power Party has sharpened its criticism, labeling the move as a "giveaway to the Honam region" and a forced decision driven by government intervention, while calling for a parliamentary investigation. In response, the Democratic Party retorted by demanding an end to what it called malicious smear campaigns and outdated regionalism.

Reporter Kim Bo-mi has the story.

[Reporter]

Regarding the government's announcement of its "three mega-projects," the People Power Party dismissed the other projects as mere window dressing intended to dilute the focus on the "Honam semiconductor cluster," which they claim is the core of the plan.

The party argued that while the government packaged the plan as voluntary investment by summoning conglomerate heads, it was essentially twisting the arms of businesses. They claimed it is a declaration of a state-controlled economy where power seeks to take over the market.

[Chung Jeon-sik / People Power Party Floor Leader: The very fact that two competing conglomerates are announcing large-scale investment plans for the same location simultaneously suggests a forced decision based on government intervention rather than autonomous corporate judgment.]

In particular, the party launched an offensive by arguing that the Honam region lacks the necessary infrastructure, such as power and water supply, and demanded that the site selection process be fully disclosed through a parliamentary investigation.

Mayors, governors, and lawmakers from the People Power Party representing the Chungcheong, Daegu, and Gyeongbuk regions also held a series of press conferences to voice their opposition.

[Choo Kyung-ho / Mayor-elect of Daegu: This is closer to 'national fracture development.' It will be difficult to avoid criticism that this announcement was a political decision that once again divides the Yeongnam and Honam regions.]

In response to the People Power Party's relentless offensive, the Democratic Party counterattacked, calling it "a result of ignorance that fails to understand the survival strategies of global companies and a malicious attempt to hinder national growth."

[Han Byung-do / Acting Leader and Floor Leader of the Democratic Party: They are raising objections by bringing up outdated regionalism. The Democratic Party will take legal action without leniency against this vicious smear campaign.]

The party argued that during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration in 2023, the Jeonnam-Gwangju region was excluded from the "National Advanced Strategic Industry Specialized Complex" competition despite receiving the highest score, and urged the opposition to "stop the old-fashioned politics of dragging national industrial strategy into regional sentiment."

(Video reporting: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video editing: Oh Young-taek)