SK chairman Chey Tae-won visits Jeonnam-Gwangju chip site, urges faster build
Chey inspected the Gwangju military airport site and an ammunition depot area with SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung, calling for close coordination with the government.
SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won visited the planned site of the semiconductor specialized complex in the integrated Jeonnam-Gwangju special city on the 9th and instructed management to build the southwestern semiconductor cluster as quickly as possible, according to techm.kr.
Chey inspected the Gwangju military airport site and an ammunition depot area, described as a key maintenance candidate site, together with SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung and other executives. He told management to work closely with the government and local authorities on the project.
Chey said the Yongin semiconductor cluster's entire construction schedule had already been moved up by 12 years, but that this may still be insufficient. Factories may need to be built simultaneously in Yongin and Jeonnam-Gwangju, he said.
Gwangju Mayor Min Hyeong-bae said the city would support the site, power, water and other core infrastructure, as well as talent development and living conditions.
Earlier plans for the Honam cluster
In June, SK hynix announced a blueprint to create a new cluster worth 400 trillion won in the Honam region. Since then, SK hynix executives have visited the Gwangju site about ten times for close consultations with the local government. Chey has recently stressed in internal and external meetings that memory semiconductor production capacity must more than double within the next five years to lead the AI era.
Quick answers
Where is the new SK semiconductor complex planned?
It is planned in the integrated Jeonnam-Gwangju special city, with the Gwangju military airport site and an ammunition depot area identified as key candidate sites.
How much is SK hynix investing in the Honam region?
SK hynix announced in June a blueprint to create a new cluster worth 400 trillion won in the Honam region.
Why does Chey Tae-won want faster construction?
He said the Yongin cluster's schedule was already moved up by 12 years but may still be insufficient, and factories may need to be built simultaneously in Yongin and Jeonnam-Gwangju.