Industry ministry says Gwangju airport site chosen for semiconductor complex

The industry ministry said that the Honam semiconductor industrial complex will be developed at the Gwangju military airport site, which a company selected after assessing the need for additional fabs and infrastructure conditions.

The company determined that additional fabs were needed to respond to the rapid expansion of the global semiconductor market and aggressive fab construction by competing countries, the ministry said. The government provided relevant information and continued consultations when the company sought information on infrastructure conditions during its investment review.

"Companies viewed Gwangju military airport as the most suitable among potential Honam locations," Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to the president, said. The airport site could secure about 2.5 million pyeong of land, Kang said. "Because the airport land has already been leveled, it has the advantage of minimizing the time needed for site construction," he said.

The location has advantages for recruiting workers and providing living conditions because of its proximity to central Gwangju and a KTX station. It has logistics access through connections to roads, an airport and ports.

The government plans to complete the candidate-selection process through consultations among relevant ministries and begin follow-up procedures for developing the industrial complex.