President Lee: "Honam Semiconductor Hub Location Already Officially Confirmed Under Yoon Administration"

President Lee Jae-myung has directly refuted claims from the opposition, including the People Power Party, regarding the site selection for a large-scale semiconductor complex in the Honam region, which is set to be announced next week, stating that the location was "already officially confirmed during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration."

On the night of June 27, President Lee wrote on his social media, "This was already officially confirmed in 2023 by the People Power Party government during the term of President Yoon Suk-yeol," and added, "I ask that at least the lawmakers of the People Power Party refrain from making strange remarks regarding the Honam semiconductor industry site."

He attached a news article detailing that during the 2023 competition for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's "National High-Tech Strategic Industry Specialized Complex," the Gwangju and Jeonnam region received the highest grade from both the ministry's working-level staff and an external private evaluation panel.

President Lee also quoted a passage from the article, which stated, "With an abundant industrial water supply network from nearby Jangseong Lake and Damyang Lake, as well as solar and wind power infrastructure in the Honam region, it was selected as the optimal location capable of realizing RE100, a prerequisite for global big tech companies."

This rebuttal is interpreted as a response to concerns raised by the People Power Party and conservative opposition figures, who have argued that the region is unsuitable for a large-scale semiconductor complex due to a "lack of industrial water in Honam."

Earlier on the morning of June 27, President Lee also shared an article on his social media that pointed out potential difficulties in stable water supply if a large-scale semiconductor cluster were built in Gwangju and Jeonnam, and countered by stating, "There is as much water in Honam as there is in Yeongnam or the capital region."

He also characterized the expected upcoming announcements of large-scale semiconductor facility investments in Honam by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix as a "historic achievement."

Regarding opposition criticism that excessive political considerations were reflected in the site selection, he struck back, saying, "From the perspective of those who used to exploit national policies for political purposes and twist the arms of companies to force them into things, this might look that way." He added, "I hope they do not criticize or slander others by assuming they would act the same way based on their own past actions and experiences."

On June 27 alone, President Lee posted six times on social media regarding the creation of the large-scale semiconductor complex, directly refuting the opposition's criticisms.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.