SK's Chey Tae-won says Gwangju chip cluster is planned at two-thirds the scale of Yongin
In short
SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won visited the Gwangju military airport, the planned site of the Honam semiconductor national industrial complex, on 9 October, his first visit there. He said the plan is for about two-thirds the scale of Yongin, which could grow if more land and demand are available. He also said SK would not spare costs and would move as fast as possible, with Newsis and Maeil Business reporting he said SK would start work first even if water and power supply are late.
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SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won visited the Gwangju military airport on 9 October, the planned site of the Honam semiconductor national industrial complex, and said he would push ahead with the chip cluster "at the fastest speed," Chosun Ilbo reported. Chosun Ilbo and Maeil Business said it was his first visit to the site. Chosun Ilbo reported SK hynix executives had previously visited to check on progress. Chey said he came to see for himself because seeing with one's own eyes matters far more than a hundred words. [ 6 , 7 ]
Chey said the Honam cluster is currently planned at about two-thirds the scale of Yongin, and that it could become larger if there is more land and demand, according to Newsis, Chosun Ilbo and Maeil Business. He said chip demand is expected to grow quickly and that even bringing the completion of the fab being built in Yongin forward by 12 years is not enough. [ 2 , 6 , 7 ]
On timing, Chey said a specific groundbreaking date cannot be known yet but will be announced soon, Chosun Ilbo reported, adding that construction is expected to start as early as next year. Chosun Ilbo quoted him as saying work would be premised on water and power supply but would go at the fastest speed once ground can be broken, and that SK has no intention of saving on costs. Newsis and Maeil Business reported he said that if water and power are delayed, SK would start construction first, and Maeil Business quoted him as saying construction costs would not be spared. [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Chosun Ilbo reported Chey arrived around 2 p.m. with Min Hyung-bae (민형배), mayor of Jeonnam Gwangju. Maeil Business reported he visited the site for relocating the airport's ammunition depot around 2:50 p.m. and toured the control tower and the relocation site with SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung (곽노정) and other executives. [ 6 , 7 ]
In June, SK hynix and Samsung Electronics announced a plan to build four chip fabs at the roughly 2.5 million pyeong Gwangju military airport site, two each, according to Chosun Ilbo and Maeil Business. Maeil Business said the plan, announced on 29 June with the government, involves a total of 800 trillion won, and that the government and the integrated special city are pursuing first developing about 2.08 million square metres, including the ammunition depot relocation site, of the 8.2 million square metre national industrial complex site. [ 6 , 7 ]
Why it matters
SK hynix and Samsung Electronics announced in June a plan to build four chip fabs at the Gwangju military airport site, and Chey's remarks indicate how SK intends to proceed with its part. Chey tied the pace to expected rapid growth in chip demand, saying even moving Yongin's completion forward is not enough. Maeil Business reported the overall investment at 800 trillion won.
Key facts
- SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won visited the Gwangju military airport, planned site of the Honam semiconductor national industrial complex, on 9 October, his first visit to the site. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Chey said the plan for the Honam cluster is about two-thirds the scale of Yongin and could become larger if there is more land and demand. [ 2 , 6 , 7 ]
- Chey said SK would not spare construction costs and would proceed at the fastest possible speed. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Chey said chip demand is expected to grow quickly and that bringing Yongin's fab completion forward by 12 years is still not enough. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Chey said a specific groundbreaking date cannot be known now but will be announced soon; Chosun Ilbo reported construction is expected to begin as early as next year. [ 6 ]
- In June, SK hynix and Samsung Electronics announced a plan to build four chip fabs at the Gwangju military airport, two each. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Maeil Business reported the plan announced on 29 June by the government, SK hynix and Samsung Electronics involves a total of 800 trillion won. [ 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Chey said the Honam cluster is planned at about two-thirds the scale of Yongin and could become larger. [ 2 , 6 , 7 ]
- This was Chey's first visit to the planned cluster site at the Gwangju military airport. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Chey said SK would not spare costs and would proceed as fast as possible. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Chey said SK would move ahead with the Gwangju fab even if water and power supply are delayed. [ 5 , 7 ]
- SK hynix and Samsung Electronics announced in June a plan for four chip fabs at the Gwangju military airport. [ 6 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- When construction will start. Chey said a specific groundbreaking date cannot be known now but will be announced soon; Chosun Ilbo reported work could start as early as next year.
- How SK's start depends on water and power supply. Chosun Ilbo quoted Chey as saying work would be premised on water and power supply, while Newsis and Maeil Business reported he said SK would start first even if water and power are late.
- The total investment of 800 trillion won. Only Maeil Business reported this figure.
- The time of the visit. Chosun Ilbo said Chey visited around 2 p.m.; Maeil Business said he visited the ammunition depot relocation site around 2:50 p.m., which may refer to a different stop.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Chey arrives at the Gwangju military airport with Min Hyung-bae, according to Chosun Ilbo. [ 6 ]
- Chey visits the ammunition depot relocation site, according to Maeil Business. [ 7 ]
- Newsis reports Chey saying the Gwangju fab is two-thirds the scale of Yongin. [ 2 ]
- Newsis reports Chey saying the Gwangju fab will go ahead first even if water and power are late. [ 5 ]