Yongin Chip Cluster Seeks LNG Power to Fuel Technological Supremacy

The semiconductor cluster in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea is set to become a crucial hub for the country's technological advancement.

As artificial intelligence and semiconductors play an increasingly important role in shaping economic growth and national security, the cluster needs a stable supply of electricity to operate around the clock.

The government plans to build liquefied natural gas plants with about 4 gigawatts of capacity inside the cluster to meet the initial power demand, which is expected to be around 15 gigawatts once the cluster is fully operational.

However, environmental groups have filed lawsuits seeking to revoke the LNG generation permits and are campaigning against the project due to concerns over carbon neutrality, health risks, and reliance on fossil fuels.

The government argues that replacing six aging coal-fired units with LNG generation will actually reduce total carbon dioxide emissions, as coal is being replaced by a lower-carbon fuel.

The pollution control technology used in the planned LNG plants is also claimed to be state-of-the-art, with emissions of pollutants such as particulates and nitrogen oxides cut by more than 90% compared to coal generation.