SK's Chey Tae-won to visit planned SK hynix chip fab site at Gwangju military airport
In short
SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won and SK hynix executives will visit the planned relocation site of an ammunition depot inside the Gwangju military airport on the afternoon of October 9, where an SK hynix chip fab is to be built, according to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City (전남광주통합특별시). Outlets reported it will be Chey's first visit to the site in person. Mayor Min Hyung-bae (민형배) will attend, and the two are expected to discuss the airport relocation, power and water infrastructure, and permits.
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SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won and SK hynix executives will visit the planned relocation site of an ammunition depot inside the Gwangju military airport on the afternoon of October 9, according to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City (전남광주통합특별시), Yonhap and other outlets reported on October 8. Chosun Ilbo attributed the plan to the business community. The airport is the site of the Honam semiconductor cluster, and an SK hynix chip fab is planned on the depot relocation site. Outlets reported it will be Chey's first visit to the site in person. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
CBS NoCut News reported the visit will run from 14:00 to 15:00, with Chey's party inspecting the depot site in Seochang-dong, Seo-gu at around 14:30. Min Hyung-bae (민형배), mayor of the integrated special city, will attend, and the two are expected to discuss the airport relocation, securing power and water infrastructure, and permits. Yonhap and Asia Economy reported Chey is expected to state SK Group's investment intentions and plans, and Newsis said he will discuss investment plans with the city. An SK hynix official told Yonhap the chairman will check the progress of the chip plant, and told Korea Economic Daily he will also state the investment intention. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Chosun Ilbo reported that SK hynix announced in June, at a national report meeting on three mega projects, a plan to build a new chip production facility in Honam, and that its executives held nine rounds of talks with the integrated special city from July 13 through September. Chosun Ilbo said SK hynix president Yeom Seong-jin (염성진) and vice presidents Hwang Mu-yeon (황무연) and Park Ho-hyun (박호현) visited the airport in August. CBS NoCut News said SK hynix executives checked the fab location and infrastructure in July and August, and that on September 1 Min visited SK hynix in Icheon to discuss cooperation with chief executive Kwak Noh-jung (곽노정). Newsis reported executives also made a preliminary survey earlier this month ahead of Chey's visit. [ 3 , 5 , 7 ]
According to CBS NoCut News, the cluster is a project by the government, the integrated special city, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to invest 800 trillion won in four or more memory fabs on about 8.26 million square metres (2.5 million pyeong) of relocated military airport land, with first mass production targeted for June 2030. The military airport's relocation site was confirmed on July 6, followed on July 29 by designation as a national industrial complex candidate site, and on July 30 Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) was selected as preliminary project operator. [ 3 , 5 ]
The city plans to start site construction in 2027 on about 630,000 pyeong that can be developed first, including the depot site, and Chosun Ilbo said initial power and water supply is to be in place by the end of 2028. CBS NoCut News reported that President Lee said on September 29 that the planned mid-2028 completion of the airport's temporary relocation was late and ordered a review of ways to bring it forward. The outlet said the visit is being watched as a possible answer to concerns that companies are reluctant to invest in Honam. [ 3 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The site is part of the Honam semiconductor cluster, which CBS NoCut News described as an 800 trillion won project by the government, the integrated special city, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to build four or more memory fabs. CBS NoCut News said the visit is being watched as a possible answer to concerns that companies are reluctant to invest in the Honam region, and outlets reported Chey is expected to state SK Group's investment intentions and plans.
Key facts
- SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won and SK hynix executives will visit the planned ammunition depot relocation site inside the Gwangju military airport on the afternoon of October 9. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- An SK hynix semiconductor fab is planned on the ammunition depot relocation site. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 ]
- Outlets reported it is the first time Chey will visit the site in person. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Mayor Min Hyung-bae (민형배) will attend; the airport relocation, power and water infrastructure, and permits are expected to be discussed. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- CBS NoCut News reported the visit runs from 14:00 to 15:00, with an inspection of the depot site in Seochang-dong, Seo-gu at around 14:30. [ 3 ]
- CBS NoCut News reported the Honam semiconductor cluster plans 800 trillion won of investment for four or more memory fabs on about 8.26 million square metres of relocated military airport land, with first mass production targeted for June 2030. [ 3 ]
- Site construction on about 630,000 pyeong that can be developed first, including the depot site, is planned to start in 2027. [ 3 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Chey Tae-won and SK hynix executives will visit the ammunition depot relocation site at the Gwangju military airport on October 9. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- It will be Chey's first visit to the site in person. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- An SK hynix chip fab is planned on the depot relocation site. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 ]
- Mayor Min Hyung-bae will attend the visit. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The agenda is expected to include the airport relocation, securing power and water infrastructure, and permits. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Chey is expected to state SK Group's investment intentions. [ 1 , 4 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Chey will announce concrete investment figures or a schedule for the SK hynix fab. Outlets only reported that he is expected to state SK Group's investment intentions and plans; no details were given.
- When SK hynix executives previously inspected the site. CBS NoCut News said July and August, Chosun Ilbo named an August visit, and Newsis said executives also made a preliminary survey earlier this month.
- The exact timing of the visit. Only CBS NoCut News gave times (14:00 to 15:00, depot site at about 14:30); other outlets said only that it is in the afternoon.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- October 8: Yonhap reports, citing the integrated special city, that Chey will visit the Gwangju military airport site the next day. [ 1 ]
- October 9: Site visit by Chey, SK hynix executives and city officials scheduled to begin, according to CBS NoCut News. [ 3 ]
- October 9: Chey's party scheduled to inspect the ammunition depot relocation site in Seochang-dong, Seo-gu. [ 3 ]
- October 9: Site visit scheduled to end. [ 3 ]