Gwangju

South Korea

2026-08-10 14:25:51

South Korea Plans Super Special Zone Act to Boost Semiconductors, Physical AI, AI Data Centers

According to BlockBeats, the South Korean government said on August 10 that it plans to enact a Super Special Zone Act by the end of this year. The law is designed to support three national strategic projects: semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said it would shorten project approval and environmental impact assessment procedures, and accelerate development of supporting infrastructure covering electricity, water, transportation, housing and education. The government wants to complete relocation and temporary adjustment of military facilities by the second half of 2028, allowing military airport land to be used for semiconductor industrial parks. In addition to the 8.3 million square meters that have been proposed for a national industrial park, authorities will consider expanding surrounding development depending on corporate needs. South Korea also plans measures for recycled water use, water supply from nearby dams, and power security to meet the needs of large semiconductor clusters. For the relocation of US facilities at Gwangju military airport, Seoul plans to consult with the US, and the US has reportedly given a positive response.

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Samsung Elect

2026-07-21 05:51:08

Samsung Electronics plans four new semiconductor fabs in South Korea by 2030

Samsung Electronics is refining a large-scale semiconductor production investment plan in South Korea and aims to build four new wafer fabrication plants by 2030, according to Odaily. The plan has already been shared with key partners. Samsung’s proposed sites include Pyeongtaek P5 and P6, one fab in the semiconductor cluster at Namsa-eup, Yongin, and one new fab in Gwangju. SK Hynix is expected to build Y1 and Y2 in the semiconductor cluster at Wonsam-myeon, Yongin, along with one new fab in Gwangju. Combined, the two companies would add seven new fabs from this year through 2030. Last month on the 29th, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix released a semiconductor equipment investment roadmap worth 3,200 trillion won, excluding spending on AI data centers. Samsung has also moved up the completion target for its Yongin fab from 2047 to 2040, while SK Hynix brought its target forward from 2045 to 2033. Industry sources said Samsung recently asked partners whether they would consider additional investment in Gwangju on the premise of building a fab there before 2030, though feasibility remains uncertain given current capacity and local infrastructure conditions.

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