Ministry to inspect water supply sites for new southwest semiconductor complex

The Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy said Friday it will inspect the interagency cooperation framework for proactively securing 650,000 tons of industrial water per day to supply a new semiconductor complex planned for the southwest region.

First Vice Minister Geum Han-seung will visit Naju Lake on Friday, receive briefings from the Korea Rural Community Corporation on facility conditions and agricultural water usage, and review plans to supply alternative agricultural water using the Yeongsan River.

To ensure that farmland currently served by Naju Lake continues to receive agricultural water once the lake is tapped for industrial use, the government plans to build alternative infrastructure — including new pumping stations and pipelines drawing from the Yeongsan River — and will incorporate additional measures based on input from the agricultural sector going forward.

Geum will then visit Jangheung Dam, Boseonggang Dam and Juam Dam in sequence to review current water supply conditions and supply plans tied to the new semiconductor complex.

The inspection will also cover plans to tap surplus capacity at Jangheung Dam, redirect some power-generation water at Boseonggang Dam for industrial use, and utilize unused water volumes at Juam Dam.

The government said it will work with the Korea Water Resources Corporation, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and the Korea Rural Community Corporation to deliver 650,000 tons of industrial water per day to the new complex without disruption, and will develop a stable water supply plan capable of withstanding extreme drought.

"The core competitiveness of advanced semiconductor factories lies in securing stable and swift infrastructure," Geum said. "The government will proactively build water infrastructure through close collaboration between local governments and relevant agencies so that the semiconductor industry can establish itself as a new growth engine for the Honam region."