Samsung presents Yongin semiconductor complex plans at city science festival
Version 2: Two further outlets, Dong-A Ilbo and Korea Economic Daily, covered the same festival presentation; Dong-A reported that Samsung expanded its exhibition booths to four from two last year and framed the briefing around the start of site construction, while the core investment, job, energy and water figures were unchanged.
In short
Samsung Electronics said it took part in the 2026 Yongin Cyber Science Festival at Yongin Mir Stadium on October 3–4, presenting plans for the Yongin advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex. The company said it plans to invest about 360 trillion won there, with some 70 supplier and fabless firms expected to move in and about 1.6 million jobs projected. LH completed contractor selection for the complex's first zone on September 30, two months ahead of schedule, and Samsung said it now targets first fab operations in October 2029, about a year earlier than previously planned.
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Samsung Electronics said it took part in the 2026 Yongin Cyber Science Festival, held at Yongin Mir Stadium from October 3 to 4, to present the future of the Yongin advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex and its plans for energy and water management. The festival is described as a representative science and culture event of Yongin Special City that draws about 40,000 visitors each year. Dong-A Ilbo reported that Samsung expanded its exhibition booths to four this year from two last year, and Yonhap said the exhibition scale was expanded to four. Maeil Business reported the exhibition was organised around three themes: the complex blueprint, cogeneration energy infrastructure and sustainable water management. Korea Economic Daily published a photo report saying Samsung introduced the complex's future to local residents. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Samsung said it plans to invest about 360 trillion won in the complex. About 70 materials, parts and equipment companies and fabless firms are expected to move in, and the company projects a job creation effect of about 1.6 million positions. Dong-A Ilbo reported that the blueprint section covered that investment plan and its economic ripple effects, and that expansion of roads, transport, housing and commercial facilities was also presented. Maeil Business said that once the complex is in full operation, living infrastructure is expected to expand and the city's fiscal base and local economy to strengthen. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Three LNG power plants are to be built inside the complex. The reports said the heat and electricity produced by cogeneration could be used not only by the semiconductor complex but also by apartments, hospitals, schools, sports facilities and welfare facilities. Maeil Business, citing the Korea District Heating Corporation, reported that LNG combined-cycle generation typically reaches about 55% energy efficiency, while cogeneration that also uses heat can raise this to around 80%. [ 1 , 2 ]
On water, Samsung said it is working with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and local governments to highly purify discharge from public sewage treatment facilities and reuse it as industrial water, at daily volumes of 120,000 tons in Hwaseong, 120,000 tons in Osan and 210,000 tons in Suwon. Maeil Business added that Samsung is also optimising manufacturing processes to cut water use and reusing process water in cooling towers and air pollutant reduction equipment. [ 1 , 2 ]
LH completed the selection of a contractor for the first zone of the complex's land development on September 30, two months earlier than originally planned, which the reports described as the national strategic project entering the actual construction stage. Dong-A Ilbo said Samsung's briefing to residents came as site preparation for the complex began construction. LH plans to accelerate the work, including by introducing advanced methods, so that Samsung can break ground on its first fab in 2028. Samsung said it aims to start operating that first fab in October 2029, about a year earlier than its previous plan, which Maeil Business reported was for the second half of 2030. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The complex is described in the reports as a national strategic project that has now entered the construction stage, so progress on site work and the fab timetable matters for Korea's semiconductor supply chain and for the regional economy around Yongin. Local outlets tie the project to expectations of housing, transport and commercial infrastructure and to the city's fiscal base, though the investment and job figures come from the company rather than independent assessments.
Key facts
- Samsung Electronics said it participated in the 2026 Yongin Cyber Science Festival, held October 3–4 at Yongin Mir Stadium, to present the Yongin advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex and its energy and water plans. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Yongin science festival is described as a representative science and culture event of Yongin Special City that about 40,000 people visit each year. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Samsung expanded its exhibition this year; Yonhap said the exhibition scale was increased to four, and Dong-A Ilbo reported the number of booths rose to four from two last year. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Samsung said it plans to invest about 360 trillion won in the national industrial complex. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- About 70 materials, parts and equipment companies and fabless firms are expected to move into the complex alongside Samsung, with about 1.6 million jobs projected, according to the company's outlook. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Three LNG power plants are to be built inside the complex, and heat and power from cogeneration are to be supplied to apartments, hospitals, schools, sports and welfare facilities as well as the semiconductor site. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Samsung said it is working with the government and local authorities to reuse purified public sewage discharge as industrial water, at daily volumes of 120,000 tons in Hwaseong, 120,000 tons in Osan and 210,000 tons in Suwon. [ 1 , 2 ]
- LH completed the selection of a contractor for the first zone of the complex on September 30, two months earlier than originally planned, and Samsung said it aims to start operating its first fab in October 2029. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Samsung Electronics said it took part in the 2026 Yongin Cyber Science Festival, held October 3–4 at Yongin Mir Stadium, to present the Yongin advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex and its energy and water management plans. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Yongin science festival draws about 40,000 visitors a year, according to the reports. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Samsung expanded its exhibition this year: Yonhap said the exhibition scale was increased to four, and Dong-A Ilbo reported the number of booths rose to four from two last year. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Samsung said it plans to invest about 360 trillion won in the Yongin advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- About 70 materials, parts and equipment companies and fabless firms are expected to move into the complex, and about 1.6 million jobs are projected, in the company's outlook. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Three LNG power plants are to be built in the complex, with cogenerated energy usable by the semiconductor site and by apartments, hospitals, schools, sports and welfare facilities. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Samsung said it is pursuing reuse of purified public sewage discharge as industrial water at daily volumes of 120,000 tons in Hwaseong, 120,000 tons in Osan and 210,000 tons in Suwon. [ 1 , 2 ]
- LH completed contractor selection for the first zone of the complex on September 30, two months ahead of the original schedule, and plans to speed up work so Samsung can break ground on its first fab in 2028. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Samsung said it targets starting operation of its first fab in October 2029, about a year earlier than its previous plan. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- The projected 1.6 million jobs and the 360 trillion won investment figure are Samsung's own estimates and plans, reported by three outlets but not independently verified. All three documents attribute the figures to Samsung rather than to an independent assessment.
- The documents describe the exhibition structure differently: Yonhap says the exhibition scale was expanded to four, Dong-A Ilbo describes four booths with three sections, and Maeil Business lists three themes — the complex blueprint, cogeneration energy infrastructure and sustainable water management. The accounts do not describe the exhibition in the same terms.
- The company's earlier plan to begin fab operations in the second half of 2030 is reported only by Maeil Business. Single-source detail; Yonhap says only that the schedule was moved up by about a year.
- Korea Economic Daily's photo report provides no detail beyond its headline about the Yongin complex. Korea Economic Daily's readable article text covers unrelated market and housing stories; only its headline concerns this event.
- The financing schedule and detailed timetable for the 360 trillion won investment are not given. No document gives a spending schedule or breakdown.
- Korea Economic Daily published a photo report saying Samsung introduced the future of the Yongin semiconductor complex to local residents. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- LH completes selection of the contractor for the first zone of the Yongin national industrial complex, two months earlier than planned. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The 2026 Yongin Cyber Science Festival opens at Yongin Mir Stadium; Samsung's exhibition runs for two days. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Yonhap reports Samsung's participation and its investment, energy, water and construction plans. [ 1 ]
- Maeil Business publishes its account, adding exhibition themes and the earlier 2030 second-half fab plan. [ 2 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports the booth expansion from two to four and the sections presented to residents. [ 3 ]
- Korea Economic Daily publishes a photo report on Samsung introducing the complex to local residents. [ 4 ]
- Samsung targets the start of construction of its first fab, with LH accelerating site work to that end. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Samsung aims to begin operating its first fab, about a year earlier than previously planned. [ 1 , 2 ]