JEONNAM-GWANGJU — SK hynix (000660.KS) executives visited the Gwangju military airport site on the 24th, where a semiconductor cluster in the Honam region is to be built, and are continuing talks on cooperation. According to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, executives including SK hynix President Yeom Sung-jin visited the Gwangju military airport to examine the site and its surrounding conditions. Yeom heads the company's communications division. Other SK hynix officials, including Executive Vice Presidents Hwang Mu-yeon and Park Ho-hyun, also joined the visit. Kim Ki-hong, head of the city's semiconductor industry support team, attended on behalf of the special city.
The SK hynix delegation visited the control tower inside the Gwangju military airport that day. The delegation directly checked the airport site and surrounding location conditions, and also reviewed on-site conditions for building a future semiconductor production hub.
Following the site visit, the two sides held a conversation and a luncheon meeting at the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City's Gwangju office. Ko Kwang-wan, vice mayor for safety and public welfare, was among the attendees. The two sides discussed the direction for pursuing the semiconductor cluster.
The main topics included site conditions, infrastructure and measures to support companies. The two sides are said to have exchanged views broadly on the direction of future cooperation.
The Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City and SK hynix have maintained exchanges between executives and working-level staff. They have examined the region's location conditions and its semiconductor industry base together while holding talks. In particular, as site visits and working-level talks have been held repeatedly, the discussions have gradually become more concrete. The two sides are continuing talks centered on the core conditions needed to actually build and operate a semiconductor fab, such as the site, electricity and water.
The special city plans to speed up its preparations in line with the government's push to fast-track the Honam semiconductor cluster. It intends to put core infrastructure in place in advance so that the project can proceed without setbacks as soon as the company makes an investment decision.
The special city in particular sees securing the site, electricity and water as its top priorities. It plans to pursue talks with the government and related agencies at the same time.
"Through this visit, we examined firsthand the on-site conditions around the Gwangju military airport," said SK hynix President Yeom Sung-jin. "We will continue to communicate and cooperate with the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City to successfully push forward the Honam semiconductor cluster."
Ko Kwang-wan, vice mayor for safety and public welfare, stressed: "As the president emphasized a 'blitz that is even faster than a speed race,' Jeonnam-Gwangju will prepare a step ahead. Rather than waiting for the company to make an investment decision before we move, we will prepare core conditions such as the site, electricity and water as far ahead as possible."
The Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City plans to maintain close communication with semiconductor companies, including SK hynix.
