The Democratic Party of Korea North Jeolla Provincial Chapter's "Special Committee on the transfer of the Yongin semiconductor Samsung Electronics to North Jeolla" held a meeting on the 8th at the provincial chapter office and declared the formation of a civil-government united front for the transfer of Samsung Electronics. A large number of local council special committees attended, including the North Jeolla Provincial Council and the councils of Imsil, Jeongeup, Namwon, Jinan, Muju and Jangsu.
Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Joon-byung, who argues for the transfer of the semiconductor cluster to Saemangeum, said at the meeting, "President Lee Jae-myung emphasized, 'Please turn your eyes to the southern regions,' and Minister Kim Sung-hwan has begun to consider a regional transfer," adding, "In the face of the selfishness of the Seoul metropolitan area and the malicious belittlement by lawmaker Lee Jun-seok and others, North Jeolla must unite and make sure to achieve the transfer of the Yongin semiconductor Samsung Electronics." Yoon Joon-byung, who also serves as the Chairperson of the North Jeolla provincial chapter, said, "We will conduct policy research to prove North Jeolla's advantages in power supply, water, and site expandability, and through legislative support such as a differential electricity rate system, we will create a practical foundation for Samsung Electronics to choose Saemangeum."
Calls are growing to transfer the Samsung Electronics semiconductor cluster under construction in Yongin to the Saemangeum area of North Jeolla. The controversy intensified after lawmaker Ahn Ho-young, who recently declared a run for North Jeolla governor, made the case and Minister Kim Sung-hwan of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment echoed it by saying, "We should consider whether it should be moved." Kim served as head of the Nowon District Office and represents Nowon in Seoul, but is originally from Yeosu, South Jeolla.
As lawmaker Ahn and the Minister amplified the issue of transferring the semiconductor cluster to Saemangeum by trading remarks, Democratic Party lawmakers from the Honam region also moved. Honam-region Democratic Party lawmakers announced on the 5th the establishment within the North Jeolla provincial chapter of the "Special Committee on the transfer of the Yongin semiconductor Samsung Electronics to North Jeolla," saying, "North Jeolla is a region with one of the highest levels of renewable energy production in the country," and adding, "We will mobilize the full capacity of North Jeolla's political circle for the transfer of the semiconductor cluster."
Opposition parties such as the People Power Party and the Reform Party voiced opposition to the talk of transferring the semiconductor cluster to Saemangeum, but Democratic Party figures from southern Gyeonggi were just as vehement in their pushback.
Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon said on social media, "The Yongin semiconductor cluster, prepared jointly by the state, corporations and the region, must proceed normally," adding, "Southern Gyeonggi must establish a new growth axis based on renewable energy and artificial intelligence (AI) to realize President Lee Jae-myung's vision."
Supreme Council member Lee Un-ju and Yongin district lawmakers Lee Sang-sik, Son Myung-soo and Boo Seung-chan issued a joint statement criticizing, "We sought to dismiss (lawmaker Ahn's) claim as election-driven politics, but the Minister's remarks are causing confusion and concern among Yongin citizens, Gyeonggi residents and, furthermore, the South Korean economy."
The Yongin semiconductor cluster project is a national strategic project to build the world's largest semiconductor ecosystem by attracting semiconductor fabs and materials, parts and equipment corporations centered on Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. The total project site covers 11,440,000 square meters, and Samsung Electronics pledged an investment of 360 trillion won and SK hynix 600 trillion won. Permitting has already been completed, and compensation procedures are underway for land owners within the site. Some sections have already started construction.
The sudden entry of the political sphere into a large-scale national project whose site has been finalized by the government and industry is because local elections are approaching. The Rebuilding Korea Party, which is focusing on courting the Honam region, also expressed support for the transfer to Saemangeum in the same context. By contrast, the People Power Party and the Reform Party, which have little equity in the Honam region, voice opposition to the transfer to Saemangeum.
Unlike other parties, which can calculate relatively easily, the Democratic Party's internal situation is complicated. In the local elections, it must hold southern Gyeonggi, including the Gyeonggi governorship, Yongin and Pyeongtaek. For Democratic Party lawmakers based in these areas, calls for a transfer to Saemangeum are inevitably uncomfortable. On the other hand, for Democratic Party lawmakers based in the Honam region, simply putting forward names like Samsung Electronics or semiconductors is a significant achievement.
Political circles see a strong possibility that the political clash over the transfer of the semiconductor cluster will continue through the local elections in June. There are also concerns that if the debate drags on, the momentum for the project could weaken. Although construction has already begun in some sections, uncertainty is growing as the dispute over the project site itself is rekindled.