"Honam Long Neglected, Not Forcing Corporate Losses"

[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung and the Blue House have directly refuted claims by the conservative opposition regarding "preferential treatment for the Honam region" and "arm-twisting corporations." President Lee emphasized that the fact that Honam has been neglected in development for a long time has, in some aspects, become a factor of opportunity, and that the government is not forcing losses or risks upon companies. The Blue House also pointedly asked why the Yoon Suk Yeol administration did not do the same if investments could simply be made by government order.

Reporter Kang Cheongwan has the story.

[Reporter]

President Lee Jae-myung emphasized the necessity of regional development, stating that while the success or failure of the global artificial intelligence race depends solely on speed, the capacity of the Seoul metropolitan area, where semiconductor complexes are currently being built, has reached its limit.

[President Lee Jae-myung: As inefficiencies due to concentration deepen, the metropolitan area is on the verge of exploding, and the provinces are facing a crisis of extinction.]

He specifically noted that the long-term exclusion of Honam from development has, in some ways, become an opportunity.

[President Lee Jae-myung: The southwestern coastal area is rich in water resources and, in particular, renewable energy.]

President Lee refuted the conservative opposition's claim of "arm-twisting corporations," stating that this is the reason companies chose Honam.

[President Lee Jae-myung: It is not about forcing losses and risks on companies to achieve national needs as some fear, but rather enabling them to invest with a better outlook.]

Kang Hoon-sik, Chief of Staff to the President, explained that the conservative opposition's claim that the government is twisting the arms of corporations shows a complete lack of understanding of corporate circumstances. He added that South Korea is in a situation where it must act with a sense of desperation, as failure to secure investments and other initiatives could lead to a decline in future growth engines.

He further remarked, "Honam has the cheapest land prices," adding, "If investments could be made simply because the government told companies to do so, I wonder why the Yoon Suk Yeol administration didn't work hard to do the same."

(Reported by Jung Sang-bo and Yoon Hyung | Video by Jeon Min-gyu | Graphics by Kang Yoon-jung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.