The Norwegian company ENRX is equipping a section of a new highway in Florida with inductive charging technology. The section is approximately 1.2 kilometers long and will serve as a real-world laboratory for the technology.
Kim Won-bae The author is an editorial writer at the JoongAng Ilbo. Calls to relocate semiconductor fabs slated for the Yongin semiconductor cluster to Saemangeum in North Jeolla Province mark a departure from conventional regional lobbying for industrial projects. These demands seek to politically overturn a national strategic industry already approved and under construction by invoking access to renewable energy. Asking companies to move fabs that have already broken ground in Yongin is unrealistic and would impose enormous national opportunity costs. The semiconductor industry is not a matter of simply moving buildings. It depends on dense ecosystems of skilled workers, supplier networks and research infrastructure. Kim Min-seok, prime minister, tours a land-based solar power complex during a visit to the Saemangeum development site in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, on Sept. 3, 2025. [YONHAP] The controversy escalated ahead of local elections after some North Jeolla politicians raised the idea and Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-hwan publicly echoed concerns about whether factories should move to regions with more power capacity. Attempting to use central government authority to relocate operating or soon-to-be-operating fabs to areas that have yet to meet basic location requirements is anachronistic and inappropriate. Advocates cite the principle of local production and local consumption of energy, yet it is unclear whether Saemangeum actually meets that standard better than existing sites. According to the government’s Power Statistics Information System, South Chungcheong Province generated the most electricity in 2024 at 103,618 gigawatt-hours, largely due to its concentration of thermal power plants. In terms of self-sufficiency, North Gyeongsang, South Jeolla and South Chungcheong all exceeded 200 percent, producing more than twice their own consumption and exporting the surplus. North Jeolla produced 15,878 gigawatt-hours, about 15 percent of South Chungcheong’s output, with a self-sufficiency rate of 73 percent. While plans exist to build an RE100 industrial complex in Saemangeum, renewable sources with limited generation hours cannot reliably supply the massive and continuous power demand of semiconductor fabs. If this logic were applied consistently, regions with higher existing output or self-sufficiency could demand that fabs be moved to their jurisdictions once they add renewable capacity. Such arguments would never end. Political pressure that distorts corporate location decisions ultimately harms the industry and the national economy. Related ArticleIndustry Ministry backs Yongin for world's largest chip cluster, snubs relocation push The absurd push to relocate Yongin’s semiconductor plants to SaemangeumSK hynix announcement of expanded Yongin chip cluster investment fuels real estate optimismRuling in Yongin chip complex suit could expose Samsung trade secrets At the same time, the current model in which the Seoul metropolitan area functions as a black hole absorbing provincial power and resources is not sustainable. Regional grievances are clear. Electricity is largely produced outside the capital area, yet power-intensive factories are concentrated around Seoul. While tax revenues collected in the capital are redistributed through grants and subsidies, that mechanism alone can no longer justify persistent concentration. The solution is equally clear. Instead of pressing the central government to force relocations, regions must compete to create sites companies cannot ignore. Stable electricity supply is necessary but insufficient. Abundant industrial water and livable environments that allow skilled workers to settle, including housing, education and health care, must also be in place. Japan’s Kyushu region offers a useful comparison. Through long-term coordination between local governments and companies, it built infrastructure, talent pipelines and supply chains to become a semiconductor hub. Investments by firms such as Sony and Taiwan’s TSMC flowed to Kyushu not because it was rural but because it was competitive. A view on Jan. 15, 2024, of construction underway at the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster site in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The government is stepping up support for the creation of a semiconductor mega cluster across southern Gyeonggi, with private companies including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix set to invest a combined 622 trillion won ($428.7 billion) by 2047. [YONHAP] The same applies to Texas in the United States. In 2024, Texas ranked first in U.S. natural gas production, with gas accounting for 44 percent of power generation. Wind made up 24 percent and solar 10 percent, while nuclear and coal provided additional stability. Combined with aggressive state tax incentives and work force programs linked to universities, this energy mix attracted semiconductor and advanced manufacturing firms. Samsung Electronics chose Texas as a core U.S. production base through corporate judgment, not coercion. Even within North Jeolla, some politicians now concede that demanding immediate relocation of fabs run by Samsung Electronics or SK hynix is unrealistic. Plans reportedly exist to establish an international school in Saemangeum. Such preparation should come first. Renewable energy must become a foundation of competitiveness, not a bargaining chip. The central government’s role is to help local governments build these fundamentals, not to assign specific factories to specific regions. The capital area, for its part, must also expand transmission networks and develop its own generation capacity. It cannot assume provincial patience will last indefinitely. This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
Communities across the state have taken steps to address the rise of data centers, with some expressing concerns regarding the strain the facilities can put on water and electricity supplies.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Demandbase, the leading pipeline AI platform for B2B enterprises, today announced the appointment of Rachel Truair as Chief Marketing Officer. Truair will lead Demandbase’s global brand and GTM strategy to amplify the...
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Demandbase, the leading pipeline AI platform for B2B enterprises, today announced the appointment of Rachel Truair as Chief Marketing Officer. Truair will lead Demandbase’s global brand and GTM strategy to amplify the...
This update features Victor Wembanyama and Tyrese Maxey.The post NBA 2K26 Season 4 launches January 9 with All-Star and Lunar New Year content appeared first on Technobaboy.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apella, a health technology company, today announced it raised $80 million in Series B equity and venture debt. The round was led by HighlandX, with returning investors Vensana Capital, Casdin Capital, PFM...
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apella, a health technology company, today announced it raised $80 million in Series B equity and venture debt. The round was led by HighlandX, with returning investors Vensana Capital, Casdin Capital, PFM...
Adding to the Centre’s ongoing push to deepen India’s AI readiness, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday underscored the need...
Electrome Corporation, a unique biotech company developing next-generation bioelectric therapeutics, today announced the launch of the LymeCure Research Study, a collaborative research effort with Tulane University to explore a novel non-pharmacologic approach to Lyme disease.
WhatsApp Business could potentially start charging users who want to link more than four devices to the same account in a future update.
A bug in Google Messages is causing severe battery drain and overheating on some devices. Here's a temporary fix while you wait for Google to push an update.
Redmi 10 Power Price in India: Redmi has launched its new smartphone Redmi 10 Power in India. The smartphone was launched along with Redmi 10A, on Wednesday, 20 April in India
The premium Alienware m15 R7 and m17 R5 highlight four new Ryzen-powered systems.
Apple is offering its new firmware update for the MagSafe accessory that promises to give you faster charging for the compatible iPhone models.
System apps with native call-recording functionality remain unaffected.
The OnePlus Nord 2T India launch may take place soon as the moniker has been spotted on the TDRA certification. The OnePlus Nord 2T's camera details have also been leaked. Here are the expected specifications of the device.
The iPhone 16 is likely to be the first Apple device to skip the camera notch.
Garena Free Fire Max redeem codes are 12-digit codes that are region-specific and can be used by players to gain an edge over rivals in every round of the battle royale game.
We are still not sure that no-charger policy will be limited to Narzo 50A Prime or it will be extended to other Realme budget, mid-segment and premium phones
