RESEARCH NOTES

Samsung-SK's 800 Trillion Won Honam Bet Redraws South Korea's Industrial Map

At the Blue House National Report on June 29, 2026, it was officially announced that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will invest 800 trillion won to build four memory fabs in the Honam region. As Yongin and Pyeongtaek reach the limits of their power and water supply, the southwestern coast—abundant in renewable energy and water with lower land prices—was chosen as the new base. Creating a nationwide semiconductor belt spanning Honam (front-end processes), Chungcheong (packaging at 81 trillion won), and Yeongnam (materials, components, and equipment), this shifts the Seoul metropolitan area's unipolar system into a multi-core structure. However, challenges such as relocating core talent, infrastructure bottlenecks like ultrapure water facilities, and regional conflicts remain, with companies explicitly noting the possibility of investment changes in their disclosures. Because the 800 trillion won serves as a long-term guideline for the next 10 to 20 years, the success of this blueprint depends on the government's subsequent infrastructure supply, permitting, and conflict mediation capabilities.