[Editorial Note] Gumi's Sense of Loss Over SK Siltron Sale

"We worked so hard to nurture this company... it feels like a betrayal."

In response to the news of the sale of SK Siltron, a semiconductor wafer manufacturer, an official from Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, expressed disappointment, saying, "This is a company that has grown together with the local community, so it is regrettable," and added, "If companies leave like this, how can we continue to invest in them?" For the local government, which has consistently provided administrative and financial support as well as industrial infrastructure because SK Siltron was a trusted major conglomerate affiliate, the sudden announcement of the company's sale came as a shock.

The city of Gumi has been a strong supporter of SK Siltron's growth. Since 2022, the city has signed investment agreements totaling over 2 trillion won, and last year refunded 10 billion won, which was part of the wastewater treatment charges. The city has also focused its administrative capabilities on creating favorable conditions for business activities, such as amending ordinances to expand industry-academia cooperation with nearby high schools and universities.

The labor union and local government have each made efforts in their own ways to protect the company. However, the reality has proven difficult to overcome. All that employees and the local government could do was convey their intentions through solidarity with citizens and labor groups. The sale process is proceeding without any proposals for worker compensation or measures to ensure responsibility toward the local community. For those whose livelihoods depend on the Gumi plant, endlessly waiting for an uncertain sale process feels like walking on thin ice every day.

SK Siltron has stated that follow-up measures can only be prepared and decided after a buyer has been selected. A company official said, "Since the sale process is still in its early stages, it is too soon to announce employment retention agreements or post-sale compensation plans," but also explained, "In similar past sales cases, employment insecurity was resolved, so there is no need to worry." The company also emphasized that most of the investment plans agreed upon with Gumi have already been fulfilled, and that even if the sale goes through, there will be no setbacks in the remaining investments.

This issue cannot be viewed as a simple sale procedure. When a company appears to be withdrawing its investment while disregarding the trust it has built with the local community, it can further dampen the investment sentiment in regions already facing the threat of population decline.

For over 50 years, the Gumi Industrial Complex has been recognized as a leading "business-friendly city" that marked a milestone in Korea's industrialization. However, due to the economic downturn and low-cost competition from China, some factories have recently closed or suspended operations, putting the area at a critical crossroads. Being labeled as a "city where companies leave easily" would be an unfortunate outcome not only for Gumi but also for Korea's manufacturing industry as a whole.