President Lee Vows to Make Chungcheong Global AI Innovation Hub

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung vowed Thursday to turn the central Chungcheong provinces into the global center of artificial intelligence (AI)-led innovation as he promoted the government's plan to support large-scale facility investment in the region.

Lee made the pledge during a public briefing held in Asan, about 80 kilometers south of Seoul, as a follow-up to the government's announcement of a tripolar mega project centered on attracting massive investment in semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers.

"Chungcheong possesses infinite growth potential," he said. "If it is combined with businesses' strategic investment and the government's firm will, Chungcheong will stand upright as the center of global innovation beyond the center of the Republic of Korea's advanced industry, that leads the AI era."

Ahead of Lee's remarks, companies including Samsung Group and SK hynix unveiled plans to invest 392 trillion won (US$252.5 billion) to construct a high bandwidth memory fab, a packaging facility and other sites in Chungcheong.

"The four major advanced industries of semiconductors, displays, secondary batteries and bio are the key strategic industries that will determine the future of the Republic of Korea in the AI era," Lee said. "The place where these four advanced industries form a single ecosystem is none other than Chungcheong."

Lee also thanked the companies that made the investment pledges while expressing particular confidence in Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, whose grandfather, the late Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul, paved the way for South Korea's rise as a global chip leader.

"Just as (his) foresight turned the Republic of Korea into a semiconductor powerhouse, I am confident that Chairman Lee Jae-yong's decisive leadership will spearhead a new leap forward for the Republic of Korea's advanced industries," he said.