Translation result
Thousands rallied to demand that the government withdraw a clause in the enforcement decree of the Semiconductor Industry Special Act that excludes the Seoul Metropolitan Area. They also gathered to defend Gyeonggi Province’s so-called “smart semiconductor belt.”
On the 28th, the Semiconductor Defense Gyeonggi Southern Civic Coalition called for the enforcement decree to be scrapped.
The coalition says the decree would effectively exclude Gyeonggi Province from infrastructure support and workforce training programs.
The group held its “Semiconductor Defense Gyeonggi Southern Mass Rally” at Icheon’s Fountain Square intersection at 11 a.m.
Civil society groups and residents from Icheon, Anseong, Yongin, Pyeongtaek, Osan and Suwon attended the rally.
The event drew a number of political figures, including former People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, Gyeonggi gubernatorial candidate Yang Hyang-ja, Rep. Song Seok-joon, Icheon mayoral candidate Kim Kyung-hee, and numerous municipal and provincial assembly candidates, alongside local residents.
Notably, six civic leaders, including Jo Jun-taek, chairman of the Icheon Neighborhood Leaders Association, shaved their heads in protest.
In a statement, the coalition strongly criticized the plan to exclude Gyeonggi — home to key production hubs such as SK Hynix in Icheon and facilities in Yongin, Pyeongtaek, Hwaseong and Anseong — from government support.
They chanted slogans including “Excluding the Seoul Metropolitan Area from the semiconductor cluster kills Gyeonggi” and “Exclusion is not balanced development; it is discrimination against Gyeonggi.”
“This rally was organized to convey the will of Gyeonggi residents to the government and the ruling party,” said Cho Seong-won, head of the Gyeonggi Southern Civic Coalition. “To protect South Korea’s semiconductor competitiveness, the enforcement decree that contains the clause excluding Gyeonggi must be scrapped immediately.”
The coalition said it will continue coordinating with civil society groups to push for the decree’s withdrawal.
/Icheon = Hong Seong-yong, reporter syh224@incheonilbo.com
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