SK hynix really coming to Gwangju? Chey's follow of local food account stirs buzz

Amid the confirmation of Gwangju as the site for the Honam semiconductor cluster, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has drawn attention after it emerged that he follows a Gwangju restaurant account on Instagram.

On Monday, a post appeared on the Chonnam National University Gwangju campus board of the college community app Everytime, captioned "Looks like SK hynix is really coming to Gwangju," alongside a screenshot of Chey's Instagram following list.

The screenshot showed that the account — which follows just 61 people — includes a Gwangju restaurant channel. The channel, which introduces local eateries in Gwangju, has around 120,000 followers.

As the post spread online, reactions poured in linking the follow to SK hynix's planned investment in the city. "Doesn't this mean he's planning to visit Gwangju often?" one user wrote, while another quipped, "Now that's real big data analysis."

It remains unclear, however, when Chey began following the account or what prompted him to do so.

SK hynix and Samsung Electronics each plan to invest 400 trillion won ($268 billion) to build four Honam semiconductor cluster complexes near Gwangju's military airfield. The government finalized the plan at a "mega project public-private joint review meeting" chaired by President Lee Jae-myung on July 6.

The area around Gwangju's military airfield has been cited as a leading candidate from the outset of the project, given its wide, flat terrain and strong accessibility to the city center and logistics networks. SK hynix also viewed the selection of the site as an expected outcome.

"Considering that the Yongin semiconductor industrial complex currently under construction covers about 4.3 million square meters, the Gwangju military airfield site — at roughly 8.3 million square meters — is more than adequate," an SK hynix official said. "We plan to proceed with the relevant procedures in consultation with the government."

Meanwhile, at a public briefing on three major mega projects held at Cheong Wa Dae on June 29, Chey announced plans to invest a combined 1,100 trillion won in domestic semiconductor production facilities over the long term. The commitment includes two phases of the Honam semiconductor cluster worth about 400 trillion won, four phases of the Yongin semiconductor cluster totaling 600 trillion won by 2033, the Cheongju semiconductor fab MI17 at 80 trillion won, and an advanced packaging facility P&T7 at 20 trillion won.