Yongin City Materializes Blueprint for Leap as 'Global Semiconductor Industry Hub'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Choi Ki-ho] Yongin Special City announced on the 2nd that it has established the '2024 Semiconductor Industry Promotion and Support Implementation Plan' to make a leap as a 'global semiconductor industry hub city.'

The plan, which set the goal of 'establishing the foundation of a global semiconductor hub city through construction of competitive semiconductor industry infrastructure,' reflects the city's current status, the current state of semiconductor industrial complex development, and long-term support policies and plans necessary for semiconductor industry promotion.

The city further reflected changes in infrastructure such as roads and transportation for semiconductor industry promotion, including additional securing of satellite city land and national industrial complex relocation sites, as well as construction of transportation networks such as roads and railways, in the plan previously established in August of last year, the '2023 Yongin City Semiconductor Industry Promotion and Support Implementation Plan,' and finalized the satellite city and relocation resident site areas.

The 2024 implementation plan includes additional government support policies for semiconductor industry cultivation, business achievements made after establishing a dedicated semiconductor industry department last year, industry-academia-research-government cooperation projects, recruitment and support of semiconductor industry-related companies, industrial complex development, and professional talent cultivation methods.

The '2024 Semiconductor Industry Promotion and Support Implementation Plan' was established based on the service report for the 'Yongin City Semiconductor Industry Promotion Comprehensive Plan (2024~2027)' from the Yongin Municipal Research Institute completed late last year. The city set the direction and implementation methods of policy projects for semiconductor industry promotion and prepared comprehensive business strategies combining individual projects underway in each department.

Specific strategies include setting seven tasks: △strengthening administrative support systems for semiconductor industry promotion, △nurturing semiconductor companies and supporting settlement, △establishing infrastructure for semiconductor technology support and talent cultivation, △creating an 'L'-shaped semiconductor belt, △developing Yongin Semiconductor Cluster general industrial complex, △developing Yongin Advanced Systems Semiconductor Cluster national industrial complex, △creating semiconductor support cities and building connecting roads and transportation networks, and presented the content of 33 detailed projects and systematic implementation plans.

The city is committed to making active efforts in semiconductor industry promotion and infrastructure construction.

It will activate the operation of the 'Semiconductor Industry Competitiveness Enhancement Committee' and build a cooperation system for industry promotion. It will strengthen the capabilities of city civil servants in the semiconductor industry and support research related to building a semiconductor ecosystem.

Additionally, it will establish a 'corporate investment attraction digital system' to secure an efficient investment attraction foundation, and operate the 'Yongin Venture Investment Fund Recruitment Reception Window' and 'Youngduk-dong Startup Support Center (Systems Semiconductor Startup HUB)' to attract promising companies and support necessary competitiveness enhancement measures.

As a plan to cultivate professional semiconductor talent, it will support the 'Advanced Semiconductor Production-Linked Minifab Infrastructure Project' and semiconductor company R&D support projects, and necessary aspects for establishing a 'Semiconductor Meister High School' targeting opening in spring 2026. The 'UNIST-Yongin Special City Semiconductor Education and Industry-Academia Hub,' which opened in March, is expected to play an important role in customized education to cultivate talent desired by companies.

The city will also establish and implement measures for semiconductor industrial complex development and necessary road network construction.

To create an 'L'-shaped semiconductor belt' connecting major semiconductor industry hubs, Yongin Special City has prepared administrative support measures for rapid processing of permits and approvals for the 'Idong-Namsa Advanced Systems National Industrial Complex,' designated as a 'national advanced strategic industry specialized complex,' the 'Yongin Semiconductor Cluster,' and the 'Samsung Electronics Future Research Complex.'

Furthermore, it has drawn a blueprint to realize industrial concentration by promoting activation of the 'Platform City Advanced Industrial Complex' and developing the 'Yongin Semiconductor Cooperation General Industrial Complex' to attract and strengthen the competitiveness of companies related to materials, parts, and equipment in the semiconductor industry.

Additionally, the city will proceed with projects including the development of a 'Semiconductor Support New Town Public Housing District' to be constructed on approximately 2.28 million square meters (690,000 pyeong) in Idong-eup, Cheonjin-gu, and the creation of a 'GTX Yongin Station Integrated Transfer Center and Semiconductor-Specialized International Conference Complex' for the implementation of 'Yongin Platform City,' and will promote the expansion of road networks connecting areas surrounding semiconductor industry-related industrial complexes.

In addition, the city will operate a field office for establishing and supporting relocation measures for residents and companies whose land was expropriated for the national industrial complex, provide water and power supply facilities necessary for developing the 'Yongin Semiconductor Cluster' in Wonsam-myeon, Cheonjin-gu, and public wastewater treatment facilities, and support SK Hynix's semiconductor 'FAB 1' at the 'Yongin Semiconductor Cluster' to begin construction as scheduled in March next year.

Mayor Lee Sang-il stated, "In line with the vision of developing Yongin into the hub of the global semiconductor industry and a hub of new growth momentum for Korea, we have established a plan that materializes necessary business for semiconductor industry promotion." He added, "We will establish and implement comprehensive support plans for company and investment attraction necessary for semiconductor industry development, road and rail infrastructure construction, cultivation of professional talent, and development of semiconductor industry support cities."

Mayor Lee further remarked, "The government is additionally announcing support measures for semiconductor industry promotion, and Yongin is also preparing new support measures for company support and various infrastructure construction. To enhance completeness in the changes and innovation taking place in Yongin, we will thoroughly prepare and establish plans to turn the vision of a leap toward the world's leading semiconductor industry city into reality," he emphasized.