People Power Party's Jang Donghyuk Criticizes 'Saemangeum Relocation Theory' for Semiconductors

On-Site Inspection at Yongin SK Hynix
Ruling Party Leadership Refutes Calls for Relocation to Honam

On January 9, Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, visited a semiconductor construction site in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, where he criticized the "relocation to Honam" proposal raised by some members of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Jang and other party leaders, along with the Special Committee on Semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence (AI), met with industry professionals at the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster site that day. The visit was intended to hear opinions on the proposal-emerging as a political issue within the ruling bloc-to relocate the semiconductor cluster to Saemangeum, and to examine related problems. Jang stated, "This is tantamount to declaring the abandonment of South Korea's semiconductor supremacy," and added, "It is unacceptable to destabilize a future strategic industry out of political ambition to win votes in local elections." He further emphasized, "The People Power Party will take the lead in ensuring that companies can continue to invest with confidence."

Yonhap News Agency

The Rebuilding Korea Party also joined the debate. At the National Assembly that day, Assemblyman Lee Haemin of the Rebuilding Korea Party hosted a forum on "Practical Power Supply Measures for AI Data Centers," stating, "It is inappropriate to turn the issue of AI power supply into a political dispute," and added, "Discussions should focus on realistically supporting the path toward becoming one of the top three AI powerhouses."

Recently, Kim Seonghwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, sparked the relocation debate by commenting that there should be consideration as to whether the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster should be moved to a region with more abundant electricity. In response, Democratic Party Assemblyman Ahn Hoyoung and other politicians from the Honam region immediately called for relocating the Yongin cluster to Saemangeum. As lawmakers from the Gyeonggi region expressed differing views, leading to internal conflict, the Presidential Office intervened the previous day, stating, "Relocation of companies should be decided by the companies themselves."