President Lee Jae-myung on the 10th instructed the Ministry of National Defense to relocate the functions of the Gwangju Air Base to another military airfield by mid-2028, so that the site can be used early for a semiconductor industrial complex, clearing the way for the Honam semiconductor fab planned for the base grounds in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province.
It is the first time a target date has been set for relocating the functions of the Gwangju Air Base, where the Honam fab is to be built. Speaking at the second public-private review meeting on mega projects, held at the Blue House that day, Lee said the situation called for "a blitz that goes beyond a speed campaign," and stressed, "Treat the coming year as the golden window and give it everything."
Lee also repeatedly urged "the fastest possible execution," saying, "Do your best so that the industrial complex can break ground early on land near the air base, even before the temporary relocation." This is read as a directive to abandon the sequential approach of building the industrial complex only after the air base relocation is complete, and instead to pursue the dispersal of military functions, the construction of the industrial complex, and the securing of permits, power and water all at once.
Citing the semiconductor fab in Kumamoto, Japan, where TSMC of Taiwan took less than two years from groundbreaking to completion, Lee said, "For the Honam semiconductor cluster, I hope execution will be as swift as in Kumamoto, Japan." On securing power and water infrastructure, he said preparations must proceed "without a hitch," adding, "We must also pick up the pace on enacting and revising the relevant laws in communication with the National Assembly."
Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, said at a briefing that day, "We will enact the Mega Special Zone Act within the year, and separately from the presidential office's dedicated organization, set up a whole-of-government support council at the prime minister's office."
Lee also dismissed the view that the project is confined to the Honam region, saying it is "about expanding the axis of growth across the entire country and reorganizing it around the regions." Lee said, "The ultimate goal is to expand the axis of growth across the entire country and to redraw the map of frontier industries around the regions." He added, "Pressing the first pedal always takes the most effort," and said, "Depending on how we prepare at the threshold of the golden age of the Republic of Korea, an entirely different world will open up."
Investment projects worth 246 trillion won and 107 trillion won will begin this year in the Chungcheong and Yeongnam regions, respectively, Kang said.
Meanwhile, on the closely watched exemption from the 52-hour workweek, a senior presidential official took a cautious stance, saying, "This is not a one-sided matter," and, "It is possible only when we have the consent of labor."
Lee: Early Groundbreaking Before Air Base Move — Making Fab Design, Investment Predictable for Companies
A timetable of "mid-2028" has been presented for the relocation of the Gwangju Air Base, long cited as the biggest uncertainty in developing the Honam semiconductor cluster. With the site fixed just a week after the mega project was announced, and now the timing of its use set only about a month later, semiconductor companies' fab design and investment schedules are also expected to move quickly.
At the second public-private review meeting on the three mega projects, held at the Blue House on the 10th, President Lee asked the Ministry of National Defense, "By mid-2028, I would like you to temporarily relocate the functions of the Gwangju base to another military airfield, so that the Gwangju Air Base site can be used early as a semiconductor industrial complex."
The plan is to move up the timing for using the site by first dispersing the base's functions to other military airfields, rather than waiting for the usual procedure of building a new military airfield at a permanent relocation site before moving the Gwangju Air Base. It is read as choosing a detour of "disperse functions first, permanent relocation later," in light of concerns that the entire semiconductor cluster project could be delayed if negotiations to relocate to Muan Air Base stall.
Lee said there is no need even to wait until mid-2028. He asked, "Do your best so that the industrial complex can break ground early on land near the air base, even before the temporary relocation." The approach is to begin building the industrial complex on adjacent areas that do not affect military operations, then expand the development area in step with the phased withdrawal of military functions. This is expected to shorten the overall construction period by two to three years.
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The Gwangju Air Base has been assessed as the optimal site for shortening the timeline, in that it can minimize the compensation procedures and conflicts required to expropriate private land, and much of the ground has already been leveled. With the timing of the site's use now also presented, conditions are in place for companies to draw up concrete investment plans. The Blue House also hinted at the possibility of expanding the site. Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik said, "Currently only the 2.5 million pyeong of the Gwangju Air Base is designated as a candidate site for a national industrial complex, but after confirming corporate demand, we will move quickly to designate additional candidate sites on nearby land."
A semiconductor fab is not completed simply by putting up a factory building. Power and water, as well as ultrapure water facilities, substation facilities, and road and logistics networks must be in place at the same time. The move-in timing of materials, parts and equipment companies is also tied to the fab construction schedule. With a target date of mid-2028 set, not only Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and SK hynix (000660.KS) but also materials, parts and equipment firms can now work back their design and investment schedules from 2028, which is expected to further accelerate the project.
Measures for mutual cooperation among these companies are also being pursued. Kang said, "We will pursue a 'Grow Together Project' worth 1 trillion won over the next 10 years, cooperating on everything from semiconductor technology development to demonstration and mass production," and, "To ease funding difficulties for exporting materials, parts and equipment firms, we have decided to supply 5 trillion won in mutual-growth trade financing." He added, "We have also decided to create a new semiconductor fund of about 5 trillion won that will invest intensively in promising semiconductor materials, parts and equipment firms and in fabless companies." The government will also fall in line, applying a "super fast-track" that pursues permits, infrastructure construction and environmental impact assessments simultaneously.
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A kind of "deadline" has also been set for securing power and water. With a reference point set for building large-scale transmission networks and water facilities, the government and relevant agencies are expected to be able to proceed with infrastructure investment in line with companies' fab construction and operation plans. Directly citing the TSMC fab in Kumamoto, Japan, Lee said, "By pursuing the relevant procedures simultaneously, we must sharply cut the time required, and by continuously improving regulations, ensure the fastest possible execution."
The remaining variable is military consultation between South Korea and the United States. Because the Gwangju Air Base is a Korea-U.S. combined operating base (COB) where U.S. Air Force forces would deploy in an emergency, moving the base's functions elsewhere requires consultation with the U.S. side. Determining which base will take over the wartime reinforcement and force deployment functions the U.S. military has carried out through the Gwangju base is expected to be a key task in meeting the mid-2028 timetable.
On this point, a senior presidential official explained, "The Gwangju Air Base has a strong character as a training and education airfield rather than a combat one, so dispersing it poses no problem of a security vacuum, and differences between South Korea and the U.S. are not large," adding, "The focus will be on dispersing training facilities such as hangars, education facilities, quarters and training airspace."
Meanwhile, Lee also repeatedly stressed that the government must preemptively remove uncertainty so that companies' willingness to invest translates into actual investment. Lee said, "A comprehensive review is needed so that companies' willingness to invest does not falter and procedures are not delayed," urging Prime Minister Han Seong-sook to respond preemptively. He added, "So that companies' large-scale investments can proceed without a hitch, the government must go beyond leading innovation and become an innovation model itself."
