South Korea’s Industry Minister Plans Three-Project Push to Advance Semiconductor Plant Launch by Two Years

South Korean Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan said on November 2 that the government plans to link semiconductor, AI data center and physical AI projects to bring semiconductor plants online at least two years earlier. According to ChainCatcher, the three projects have a combined planned investment of about 1.6 quadrillion won, equivalent to roughly 60% of South Korea’s GDP in the year they begin. Speaking at a public forum during a national economic advisory meeting in Seoul, Kim said the projects would form a national growth platform. The government plans to streamline permits and approvals through a one-stop process and enact a Special Act on Super-Regional Zones. Kim also outlined the M.E.G.A. strategy: mobilize national resources, encourage participation from all economic actors, create new growth engines and broaden the benefits.