South Korea advances Gwangju military airport conversion to semiconductor hub, imposes land‑trade permit zone

South Korea has selected the Gwangju military airfield as the core site for a new Honam‑region semiconductor cluster. Because the airport is one of five US‑South Korea joint‑operated bases, the relocation and repurposing will require coordination under the Status of Forces Agreement, with both Seoul and Washington reviewing timelines and operational impacts.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has also designated the airport grounds and the surrounding 364.19 km² as a land‑transaction permission area. Effective from the 14th and lasting until July 2028, the measure requires local authority approval for any large‑scale land deals, aiming to curb speculative buying as the cluster development proceeds.

Both steps are intended to support the government’s megaproject strategy while preserving military readiness and preventing real‑estate speculation around the future high‑tech zone.