Kim Jangho, 57, mayor of Gumi City in Gyeongsangbuk-do affiliated with the People Power Party, mentioned during an interview with this newspaper on the 2nd, "We haven't abandoned our efforts to bring in semiconductor investments." When Cheong Wa Dae revealed Samsung Electronics' and SK Hynix's Honam investment initiatives on June 25th, Mayor Kim convened an urgent news briefing where he declared, "Please assign the semiconductor production facility to Gumi. We're prepared to provide land at just 1,000 South Korean won per square meter." He further noted, "The cost of securing a factory space would be lower than products available at Daiso." During the conversation, Mayor Kim emphasized again, "Gumi is the best choice for the semiconductor sector." His commitment to drawing in semiconductor plants helped him win another term in the local elections held on June 3rd.
- The government and businesses have revealed intentions to establish chip manufacturing plants in Honam. What do you think about this?
This isn't the conclusion. On a global scale, the demand for semiconductors continues to be strong, and businesses are expected to increase their manufacturing capabilities even more. The '1,000 South Korean won per square meter' policy will continue to apply. The advantages of Gumi still hold true. We possess everything necessary for operating semiconductor plants: electricity, water, and available land.
- What benefits does Gumi offer?
Gyeongbuk has a self-sufficiency rate of 228% for energy, leading all regional governments across the country. The adjacent Nakdong River provides 680,000 tons of industrial water each day. There is a large-scale industrial area covering 2.71 million square meters (about 820,000 tsubo) available. Over three hundred companies specializing in semiconductors materials, components, and equipment—such as SK Siltron, LG Innotek, and KEC—are currently operating within this region, forming a complete industry network. Additionally, we are developing the Gumi Advanced Semiconductor Research Complex with a total investment of 96.3 billion South Korean won.
- Demands are being made for better transport systems.
The Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport is scheduled to commence operations in 2030. We are striving to incorporate the Gimcheon-Gumi section into the new airport railway initiative within the 5th National Railway Network Plan, which is expected to be unveiled during the latter part of this year. Should Gumi become linked with the new airport via train service, the competitive edge of the industrial zone would significantly improve. Semiconductor products manufactured at Gumi's industrial park could then be directly transferred onto airplanes for shipment.
- A 'Ramen Festival' was introduced in the manufacturing hub of Gumi.
In 2022, we organized the country's initial Ramen Festival, motivated by the reality that the Nongshim Gumi Factory manufactures 75% of all Shin Ramyun across the nation. In the previous year, 350,000 individuals attended. This demonstrates that a city can still emerge as a travel spot even without renowned attractions.