Regional leaders, including Min Hyung-bae, mayor of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, stressed a "speed battle" after the Gwangju military airport site was selected as the location for the Honam semiconductor cluster.
Min held a press conference Thursday in the briefing room of the integrated special city's Gwangju office. "Together with the 3.2 million residents of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, we greatly welcome the swift and responsible decision by President Lee Jae-myung and the government," he said. "But for semiconductor investment to actually translate into production plants and jobs, we must find the fastest, most realistic and most expandable path."
"In step with the government's military airport relocation and industrial complex development, our integrated special city will prepare everything at once — power and water supply, transport and logistics networks, talent development and living conditions — meticulously and swiftly," Min said. "We will not fall behind the government's speed battle."
The regional business community also voiced its welcome.
In a statement of welcome, the Gwangju Employers Federation said, "This announcement will be a historic starting point that breathes new vitality into the underdeveloped southwestern economy and transforms the regional industrial structure toward advanced technology." It added, "This semiconductor cluster development is not only about securing future livelihoods for residents of Jeonnam and Gwangju, but is also expected to serve as a fundamental catalyst that provides quality jobs for young people, prevents regional population outflow and creates a vibrant local community."
The Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry also stressed, "What matters most now is speed and driving force," adding, "This must be backed by the government's full support for corporate investment, the training of semiconductor professionals and the participation of local companies in the supply chain, as well as the swift pursuit of various administrative procedures such as permits and approvals."
But the variable is the issue of relocating the military airport.
Uncertainty is growing further as Muan County has set three preconditions — including noise countermeasures, regional development support and damage compensation — and has even mentioned the possibility of reviewing the military airport relocation again.
The three conditions Muan County has continuously demanded are the prior relocation of Gwangju's civilian airport to Muan International Airport, 1 trillion won in support from the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City and the government, and the provision of groundbreaking national-level incentives. In addition, it is also demanding that the main office of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City be located there.
As semiconductor industrial complex development gains speed, securing the consent of Muan County residents and regional acceptance is emerging as the biggest factor that will determine the swift relocation of the Gwangju military airport.
For this reason, voices within and outside the region are calling for a review of alternative sites such as Gunsan or Sacheon — rather than limiting the military airport relocation target to Muan — in the interest of a speed battle for the 800 trillion won investment by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.
