Minister pushes back on water shortage fears for Gwangju-South Jeolla semiconductor complex

Kim Sung-hwan, minister of Climate, Environment and Energy, has directly pushed back against concerns over water supply for a planned semiconductor industrial complex in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province.

On Friday, Kim posted on Facebook, saying he was writing in his capacity as the minister responsible for water and electricity supply to clarify what the government is currently reviewing.

"The Yeongsan and Seomjin river basins can store about 1.5 billion tons of water across seven dams, including Seomjin Dam and Juam Dam," Kim said. "The daily supply of water for residential, industrial, agricultural and river-maintenance use from these dams amounts to 3.37 million tons."

He added that an additional supply of more than 1 million tons per day could be secured through measures such as adjusting the water systems of certain dams and utilizing spare capacity.

Kim drew a line against reports that the government was reviewing options such as drawing water from other regions or desalinating seawater, saying those reports differed from what the government is actually considering.

"Stable water and electricity supply is of paramount importance to the semiconductor industry," Kim said. "The government is also prioritizing these foundational conditions as it reviews related plans."

He said the government would listen to various opinions and criticism, but added that it was necessary to explain the facts accurately so the public would not be confused. He said more specific details would be announced through an official statement next week.

Earlier that day, President Lee Jae Myung also posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying water in the Honam region is as plentiful as in the Yeongnam region or the Greater Seoul area. "Samsung and SK Hynix are not foolish enough to plan the establishment of massive factories in an area with insufficient water without due consideration," Lee said.