Lee Jung-hyun, former People Power Party candidate for the integrated special mayor of Jeonnam-Gwangju, sharply criticized his own camp on Friday over the government's plan for a semiconductor cluster in the Honam region, saying, "Conservatives must not be seen as a party that opposes everything. We cannot oppose even South Korea's future industries just because we dislike the Lee Jae-myung administration."
Lee posted an article titled "Prepared to Be Beaten to Death" on Facebook that day, saying, "If we block Honam's opportunity out of fear that the Democratic Party will take all the credit, that is neither the conservative path nor the proper attitude for governing a nation." Lee, a native of Gokseong in South Jeolla Province, was the first person from the Honam region to serve as chairman of a conservative party. He also served as a district lawmaker in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, a stronghold of the Democratic Party.
He stressed that establishing a semiconductor cluster in Honam is a key task for national development. "The underdevelopment and marginalization of Honam is not just Honam's problem but South Korea's problem," he said. "We must achieve national unity through balanced national development and balanced distribution of industry."
Regarding the strong opposition within the conservative camp, he appealed, "I hope we can embrace this task first." Lee said, "Some may want to oppose it because it is something the Lee Jae-myung administration is doing, and honestly, there may be fear or jealousy that Honam might truly develop." But he added, "The world has changed now. Politics alone cannot remain stuck in the past."
He argued that the People Power Party should instead take an active role in the plan to build a Honam semiconductor cluster. "Conservatives must step forward more coolly and more responsibly," he said, urging that "the People Power Party should take the lead in checking whether related budgets are properly reflected and verifying whether corporate investment decisions follow market principles rather than political pressure."
"This is not opposition but verification. It is not obstruction but creating the conditions for success," he said. "Helping the Honam semiconductor industry is not about creating achievements for a particular administration or a particular party. It is about building South Korea's future competitiveness." He added a message to the People Power Party: "Just this once, please think of the country before political calculations."
