US construction at Gwangju Air Base casts doubt on Korean chip cluster

US military facility projects worth about 58.2 billion won ($41.8 million) are underway at Gwangju Air Base, which South Korea plans to clear by 2028 for a semiconductor cluster. MOTIE Minister Kim Jung-kwan admitted at an audit he was unaware of the construction, raising doubts over the relocation timeline.

• Three US projects at Gwangju Air Base total about 58.2 billion won ($41.8 million)
• Largest is a 53.1 billion won aviation fuel facility
• Military operations are due to move by mid-2028
• Phase 1 cluster infrastructure is estimated at 5.4 trillion won