Kim Kyung-hee, Icheon mayoral candidate: "Icheon must not be excluded from semiconductor cluster support system"

[News S=Um In-yong reporter] Kim Kyung-hee, People Power Party's mayoral candidate for Icheon, urged the withdrawal of a clause excluding the Seoul metropolitan area in the designation of semiconductor clusters related to the "Special Act Implementation Decree on Strengthening and Supporting Semiconductor Industry Competitiveness."

On the 29th, candidate Kim issued a statement saying, "Icheon is South Korea's representative semiconductor city with an ecosystem of semiconductor production, technology, workforce, and cooperating companies centered on SK Hynix," and added, "The implementation decree must be improved to ensure Icheon is not excluded from semiconductor cluster designation and government support systems."

Recently, concerns about the government's implementation decree have been spreading at the civic level in Icheon and southern Gyeonggi Province.

On the 20th, at the first "Icheon Citizens' Grand Rally to Protect Semiconductors" held at the fountain intersection in Icheon, citizens and civil society representatives called for the withdrawal of the capital region exclusion clause. On the 28th, the second "Gyeonggi Citizens' Alliance Grand Rally to Protect Semiconductors" jointly organized by civil society groups from southern Gyeonggi including Icheon, Anseong, Yongin, and Pyeongtaek was held at the fountain intersection in Icheon.

At the rally, citizens and civil society representatives demanded a reconsideration of the government's implementation decree, and some civil society leaders even conducted head-shaving ceremonies to express their strong opposition.

Candidate Kim stated, "The two rallies were not merely political events, but direct actions by Icheon and southern Gyeonggi residents to protect the future of the semiconductor industry and their right to regional survival," emphasizing that "the government and related departments must take the voices from the field seriously."

The clause that candidate Kim raised concerns about is Article 15 of the implementation decree. The clause specifies "areas outside the Seoul metropolitan area" as an approval requirement for semiconductor cluster development plans.

Regarding this, candidate Kim stated, "This means that core semiconductor production bases in the capital region, including Icheon, could be fundamentally excluded from semiconductor cluster designation," and pointed out that "the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's explanation alone cannot dispel concerns about the exclusion of Icheon and Gyeonggi Province."

He continued, "The problem is not just new large-scale manufacturing facilities, but whether Icheon can be included in the national semiconductor cluster and government support system," adding that "it is important to clearly reflect Icheon's position before the implementation decree is finalized."

Candidate Kim expressed concern that if Icheon is excluded from the semiconductor cluster, disadvantages could occur across the entire semiconductor ecosystem, including infrastructure support, fostering small and medium component suppliers, R&D support, and semiconductor workforce development.

In particular, noting that Icheon is a region that has faced constraints on development and industrial advancement due to overlapping regulations such as natural conservation zones for over 40 years, he explained that designation as a semiconductor cluster is an important opportunity to secure regulatory exceptions and administrative and financial support.

Furthermore, he stated, "If designated as a semiconductor cluster, we can substantively pursue R&D research complexes, small and medium component supplier complexes, infrastructure expansion, and workforce development projects," adding that "the implementation decree issue must not be taken lightly for strengthening Icheon's future industrial competitiveness."

He also emphasized the need for linkage between Icheon and Yongin's Wonsam semiconductor cluster, stating, "Yongin is not someone else's region unrelated to Icheon, but a partner for coexistence linked to SK Hynix," and adding, "Only when we develop both Icheon's existing production base and Yongin Wonsam's new expansion base together can we complete the southern Gyeonggi semiconductor belt and further strengthen South Korea's semiconductor competitiveness."

Finally, candidate Kim stated, "The government must withdraw the clause 'areas outside the Seoul metropolitan area' from Article 15 of the implementation decree and establish supplementary provisions to ensure existing core semiconductor production bases in the capital region are not excluded from cluster designation and support targets," concluding, "I will respond to the end to ensure Icheon is not excluded from the semiconductor cluster and government support system."