Environment ministry starts water pipeline for Yongin semiconductor hubs

The environment ministry said Friday it has begun construction on the first phase of a dedicated water pipeline to supply the Yongin semiconductor clusters.

The infrastructure will serve the Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex, where Samsung Electronics plans to establish a presence, and the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster General Industrial Complex housing SK hynix.

Work on the initial segment started September 18, the same day the implementation plan received final approval and official notice. The ministry is starting with sections where design and permitting are already complete. Remaining segments will break ground as those procedures conclude.

Under the first stage, the ministry will install 47.0 kilometers of pipeline and one pumping station from the Paldang Dam to the complex. This segment aims to deliver 310,000 tons of water per day.

The broader initiative targets a total capacity of 1.072 million tons per day through phased development. A second stage is scheduled to add 762,000 tons daily.

"We will thoroughly manage all aspects including safety and quality during construction in cooperation with relevant agencies," said Kim Ho-eun, the ministry's director for water use policy. "We will do our best to ensure sufficient water is supplied stably when companies need it."