Gyeonggi governor election dominated by semiconductor pledges

The race for the Gyeonggi provincial governor position has become dominated by pledges related to the semiconductor industry, a sector experiencing a boom and crucial to South Korea's economy. With major players like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix investing heavily in the region, candidates are vying to present themselves as champions of this vital industry.

Candidates are rolling out ambitious plans. Choo Mi-ae of the Democratic Party aims to create a complete semiconductor ecosystem encompassing design, production, and post-processing across cities like Suwon, Yongin, and Hwaseong, envisioning a "Gyeonggi Nvidia." Yang Hyang-ja of the People Power Party has pledged to boost the provincial GDP per capita from 47 million won to 100 million won, centered on the semiconductor industry. Cho Eung-cheon of the Reform Party proposed a "Semiconductor Express" to connect a planned international airport in southern Gyeonggi with semiconductor industrial complexes.

The intense focus on semiconductors is driven by the industry's current prosperity and the massive investments, totaling nearly 900 trillion won, planned by SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics for the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster. This emphasis comes even as discussions about relocating semiconductor industries outside the Seoul metropolitan area are ongoing.

However, this semiconductor-centric approach has drawn criticism. Some argue that it has sidelined other significant issues that were central in past elections, such as the potential incorporation of Gyeonggi cities into Seoul or the creation of a special autonomous province for northern Gyeonggi. The election is increasingly seen as a competition of industrial policies rather than a local governance contest. Yang Hyang-ja, a former Samsung executive, even staged a hunger strike to protest a labor dispute at Samsung Electronics, underscoring the deep entanglement of political campaigns with the industry. Critics question whether a gubernatorial candidate should be so singularly focused on one sector, especially when issues like energy consumption, climate change, and labor rights related to semiconductor complexes remain largely unaddressed in campaign platforms.

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