The conservative opposition, including the People Power Party, on the 25th collectively pushed back against the review by the government of establishing a semiconductor cluster in the Honam region, calling it “arm-twisting” and a “socialist state political directive.” In particular, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon argued in effect that the aim was to keep former leader Jeong Cheong-rae in check at the ruling party convention. From the Democratic Party of Korea came a rebuttal that they are “fixated on baseless criticism and fanning regional conflict.”

At a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok said of the plan to create a semiconductor cluster in the Honam region, “It is literally cutting open the goose’s belly,” adding, “Matters such as water supply, electricity, and workforce are conditions companies should review and decide for themselves. Yet the president is directly pressuring them with ‘You go to Honam.’”

Posting on Facebook the same day, Jang also wrote, “If there had been no ‘Samjeonnix,’ what would Lee Jae Myung have held on with?” and “We will hand over semiconductors, so please make Jeong Cheong-rae lose. At this point, Jeong Cheong-rae is almost pitiable.”

Supreme Council member Shin Dong-wook also said at the meeting, “If this is not based on the independent judgment of companies but on government pressure, it is a serious problem,” and asked, “Isn’t the government misunderstanding this crucial semiconductor industry and trying to use it as kindling to stoke regional conflict?” Supreme Council member Kim Jae-won said, “Isn’t the location of the semiconductor industry being decided through arm-twisting for the purposes of the administration?”

People Power Party lawmakers from Daegu and North Gyeongsang held a press conference at the National Assembly the same day, stating, “If political consideration for a specific region is translated into industrial policy, it will not only heighten conflict between regions but may also weaken the national industrial competitiveness as a whole,” and urged, “Ensure that political influence does not intrude on the investment decisions of private companies.” After the briefing, they paid a protest visit to the presidential office and delivered a petition stating that “the national semiconductor industry should be determined by the market and competitiveness, not politics.”

Daegu mayor-elect Choo Kyung-ho argued the previous day that “the National Assembly should thoroughly verify, through a parliamentary audit, allegations of favoring a specific region and whether there was political interference.”

Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho held an emergency press conference at Gumi City Hall that day, saying, “The Gumi National Industrial Complex is the optimal site for a semiconductor fab (production plant),” and announced, “We will sell national industrial complex land at 1,000 won per pyeong. Cheaper than items sold at Daiso.”

Rep. Na Kyung-won wrote on Facebook that day, “Is this a socialist state’s political directive?” and, “Can semiconductors be stamped out by political decree?” Rep. Park Jeong-ha wrote on Facebook, “Semiconductor investment is not the spoils of a regime,” adding, “If the structure forces companies to shoulder risk for the political ends of the administration, that is not industrial policy but clear political interference.”

Reform New Party leader Lee Jun-seok wrote on Facebook that day, “Let companies fight the world and win.” Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon also wrote on Facebook, “The decision on where to site semiconductor plants must not be used as ‘Myung·Cheong’ (Lee Jae Myung·Jeong Cheong-rae) war ammunition for the party convention,” and, “Balanced national development is an important policy objective, but the moment politics designates the site of a strategic industry first, we can lose both balance and competitiveness.”

Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Do-geol said at a policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly that day, “The People Power Party is even turning the voluntary, preemptive investment decisions made by companies for their future into fodder for political strife, fixating on baseless criticism and stirring up regional conflict,” adding, “The People Power Party is distorting facts by claiming this investment is election-driven political engineering and state-controlled economics.”