[Anchor]

There is a country that has been implementing a policy of dispersing semiconductor plants across the nation even before we did: the United States. The central government, local governments, and corporations are working together in a well-coordinated, tripartite harmony. There are aspects that we should take note of.

Here is correspondent Kim Beom-joo from New York.

[Reporter]

This is the moment construction began on a large-scale semiconductor complex in the northernmost part of New York State, a region that previously lacked any significant industry.

Micron has stepped forward to invest 140 trillion won, the largest amount in New York State history, into this region.

New York is a difficult place for manufacturing due to high land prices and labor costs.

However, the government stepped in, offering large-scale subsidies and customized talent development programs to attract Micron.

The U.S. government is actively dispersing semiconductor facilities across the entire country.

New York has been designated as a cutting-edge research and development hub by linking it with prestigious universities and research facilities.

[Chuck Schumer / U.S. Senator for New York: New York will be the center not just for memory chip production, but for research—not just in America, but in the world.]

Texas, with its lower land prices and labor costs, has become a massive production base centered around Samsung Electronics, while Arizona, which already had a foundation as an existing semiconductor production region, has newly attracted precision manufacturing facilities such as TSMC.

This strategy incorporates both industrial security—ensuring the entire industry does not grind to a halt if a natural disaster or similar shock hits one region—and the goal of balanced regional development.

When the central government draws the big picture and companies make their choices, local governments also support the companies by leveraging their own unique characteristics.

A prime example is taking responsibility for cultivating talent by completely restructuring educational curricula to align with the needs of the companies they have attracted.

[Rose Castanares / TSMC Arizona Site Director: We hire technicians locally. You don't need a college degree. We need technicians in various fields.]

It is also the role of local governments to maximize regional potential by creating an environment where various startups can grow and contribute to the ecosystem, and by building dense childcare facilities to bring female talent into the workforce.

No matter how much money is spent, a region with nothing but production facilities lacks vitality.

We, too, need the central and local governments to actively engage in follow-up efforts, such as talent development and the creation of favorable living conditions.

Reported by Lee Hee-hoon | Video edited by Jo Mu-hwan