South Korea's Honam semiconductor project faces criticism over regional bias

The article criticizes the opposition to a planned semiconductor cluster in South Korea's Honam region, labeling it as regional prejudice and an attempt to obstruct government plans. The author draws a parallel to everyday conversations about stock investments, suggesting that while personal gains and losses evoke strong emotions, outright malice towards others' success is uncommon among ordinary people. However, the current political discourse surrounding the Honam semiconductor project appears to be an exception, resembling a dire situation requiring urgent medical intervention.

The opposition, primarily from the People Power Party, is accused of engaging in regionalist rhetoric, questioning why Honam should receive such a significant investment. The article points out the irony that these politicians, who struggle with regional integration in their own strongholds like Daegu and Gyeongbuk, are actively trying to dismantle a major development opportunity for Honam, which has historically received less investment.

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If the reasons given for Honam's unsuitability are valid, then Yongin and the Yeongnam region are also unsuitable for semiconductors.

Arguments against the Honam project, particularly concerning power supply, are deconstructed. The article highlights that the massive semiconductor fabs planned for Yongin require at least 10 new nuclear power plants, with electricity needing to be transmitted over long distances. It questions the logic of opposing the Honam project on power grounds while simultaneously pushing for such large-scale developments in the Seoul metropolitan area. The author argues that true political leadership would involve negotiating the scale of the Yongin project or redirecting it to other regions, rather than simply opposing Honam's development.

The article further debunks claims about renewable energy intermittency, such as solar power stopping at night, stating that technologies like energy storage systems effectively mitigate these issues. It dismisses fear-mongering about the semiconductor plants halting operations after sunset as baseless. The author criticizes the political discourse for remaining stuck in the "64K DRAM era" of regionalism, contrasting it with the rapid advancements in semiconductor technology. The piece concludes by calling for an end to the "arrogance and ignorance" of regionalism and urges a political upgrade.

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