President Lee Jae-myung will visit Gwangju on the 30th to preside over the "Southwestern region advanced industry development vision national briefing." Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which released a 4,700 trillion won investment plan for artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors as one of "Korea's three mega projects" the previous day, as well as technology corporations including Amkor Technology Korea, a semiconductor packaging (back-end process) company, will outline business plans for balanced regional development.
According to Chief Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, President Lee will hold national briefings three times starting that day, focusing on major growth hubs. On Aug. 2, in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, he will unveil the "Chungcheong region advanced industry development vision" with Samsung, SK hynix, and Celltrion, and on Aug. 3, in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, he will unveil the "Yeongnam region advanced industry development vision" with Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, Hyundai Motor, and Hanwha.
The national briefing will be attended by the heads of relevant ministries, including the Ministers of the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE), and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, as well as the presidential chief of staff, policy chief, and senior secretary for economic growth. Also attending will be the heads and officials of each local government, representatives of advanced industry corporations in the region, the chairpersons of local chambers of commerce, and officials from universities, research institutes, and support agencies.
At the southwestern region briefing, Vice Chairman and CEO Jun Young-hyun of Samsung Electronics will disclose investment plans for advanced semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs), AI data centers, and future energy. He will be followed by SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung on fabs and AI data centers, and Amkor Korea CEO Lee Jin-an on plans to expand advanced semiconductor packaging plants.
Next, Minister Kim Jung-kwan of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources will present the "Southwestern region advanced industry nurturing strategy," and Minister Kim Yun-duk of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will present the "Southwestern region advanced industrial complex siting support plan." The presidential office said the government and corporations will then sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to foster advanced industries in the southwestern region.
Earlier, Samsung Electronics and SK Group released an investment plan totaling 4,700 trillion won, centered on building four new semiconductor fabs in Gwangju, at the "Three mega projects national briefing" held at Cheong Wa Dae the previous day and presided over by President Lee. Of that, 3,500 trillion won will be invested in nurturing the semiconductor industry. Excluding the Seoul metropolitan area, tentative investment by region is 896 trillion won for Honam, 392 trillion won for Chungcheong, and 270 trillion won for Yeongnam.