South Korea selects Gwangju military airport for major semiconductor cluster

The South Korean government announced that the former military airfield in Gwangju will become the site of a large‑scale semiconductor cluster for the Honam region. The decision was made at a “Mega‑Project” public‑private joint inspection meeting chaired by President Lee Jae‑myung on 6 June. Officials said the 1.85‑million‑pyeong (≈ 826‑hectare) airport site offers flat terrain, existing infrastructure and direct access to the KTX line, highways and ports, making land acquisition and construction faster.

President Lee’s office reported that companies highlighted the Gwangju airport as the most suitable location among candidates. The plan envisions building memory‑chip fabs, as well as facilities for materials, parts, equipment and research, with the first fab requiring 220‑450 thousand pyeong. The government will coordinate land‑acquisition, power and water supply to accelerate the project, which is part of the three national “mega‑projects” aimed at boosting the country’s advanced‑industry capacity.

The move is expected to generate significant economic activity in the Honam region and reduce the time needed for future semiconductor expansions that have been delayed elsewhere by land‑compensation and permitting issues.