Yongin dispute exposes fault lines in South Korea's race for AI leadership
By Choonsik Yoo ( January 13, 2026, 07:28 GMT | Comment) -- Political infighting over South Korea’s flagship Yongin Semiconductor Cluster has eased after the presidential office ruled out any review of its location. But the episode has underscored lingering political risks for the country’s AI and semiconductor strategy. President Lee Jae Myung’s comments pointing to renewable energy-rich southern regions have reignited regional tensions, raising fresh concerns about policy predictability for large-scale chip and AI data centers. With multiple projects in the pipeline, the dispute highlights the challenge facing governments elsewhere: balancing national competitiveness with regional development goals. For South Korea, the uncertainty is compounded by election politics, environmental constraints and fears of a global slowdown in AI investment.Political infighting that once threatened South Korea’s major semiconductor project has quickly faded after intervention by the presidential office, but the episode underscored challenges facing the country’s ambitious push to become a world leader in artificial intelligence innovation....
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