[Anchor]

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae held a meeting with companies in the semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment sectors. She called on major semiconductor corporations, such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, to devise co-prosperity plans for these smaller firms as well as regions that may suffer damage from the construction of semiconductor complexes.

Reporter Choi Ho-won has the details.

[Reporter]

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae visited the domestic innovation manufacturing center of ASM, a global semiconductor equipment company.

On-site, she also held a meeting with provincial materials, parts, and equipment companies, commonly referred to as "So-bu-jang" enterprises.

[Park Soo-jin / CEO of Mico Ceramics: The power supply situation is not easy. Therefore, situations arise where even if we want to invest or bring in equipment, we cannot do so.]

[Jung Jae-hak / CEO of CN1: Small and medium-sized enterprises ultimately face severe difficulties in securing a workforce. Young people have a strong preference for large corporations.]

Governor Choo emphasized that major semiconductor corporations must also pay attention to these difficulties faced by materials, parts, and equipment suppliers.

[Choo Mi-ae / Governor of Gyeonggi Province: Global large enterprises that have grown by absorbing all the national resources of our country are not taking care of the surrounding ecosystem, small and medium-sized enterprises, and materials, parts, and equipment companies, continuously attempting to purchase cheaper equipment to cut costs, pitting them against each other without providing support.]

In areas such as Gwangju and Anseong in Gyeonggi Province, residents continue to oppose the upcoming construction of water pipelines and power transmission lines leading to semiconductor industrial complexes. Governor Choo also mentioned at the provincial "Semiconductor Super-Gap Strategy Meeting" that major semiconductor enterprises must directly prepare support measures for these regions.

[Choo Mi-ae / Governor of Gyeonggi Province (on the 15th): Samsung Electronics will need to present some measures for regional development.]

Previously on the 16th, Gyeonggi Province issued administrative guidance to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, stating, "Increase the number of times process water used in semiconductor manufacturing is recycled to 6 times, matching Taiwan's TSMC, to reduce wastewater discharge."

In addition, the province plans to establish a tentatively named "Gyeonggi Future Investment Corporation" with eight cities serving as semiconductor industry hubs in southern Gyeonggi by the end of this year. If Gwangju participates in the investment alongside the eight cities and shares the profits, it is expected that the construction of infrastructure such as electricity and water supply will proceed more swiftly.