Analysis-Power, water needs test South Korea's push to build AI chip hub beyond Seoul

South Korea's plan to build a $540bn semiconductor hub in the southwest by 2030 faces major infrastructure obstacles: the four planned chip fabs would demand 70-80% of the region's current annual electricity, and water needs of 650,000 metric tonnes daily exceed Gwangju's entire residential supply. Local opposition to new transmission lines, nuclear reactors, dam raises and water diversion is delaying or blocking essential infrastructure, with precedent from power and water delays on Samsung and SK Hynix projects near Seoul.

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