Sang-il Lee Discusses Semiconductor Industry Cooperation with U.S. Osceola County Delegation

[Suwon Ilbo=Ki-ho Choi] On the 23rd, Yongin Mayor Sang-il Lee held a roundtable discussion with a delegation from Osceola County, Florida in the city hall video conference room and discussed cooperation plans in advanced future industries including semiconductors to foster next-generation technologies.

The roundtable was attended by approximately 10 people, including Mayor Lee and city officials, as well as Osceola County Chair Cheryl Grieb, Economic Development Director Hunter Kim, NeoCity Link Vice President Jessica Kim, and other members of the Osceola County delegation.

The meeting was held at the request of the Osceola County delegation, which has recently strengthened its semiconductor industry capabilities by attracting semiconductor manufacturer Skywater Technology and semiconductor-focused venture capital firm PlugandPlay Semiconductor. They sought to hear about Yongin's development as a global semiconductor city and explore mutual cooperation plans.

Located in central Florida, Osceola County is the sixth largest among Florida's 67 counties, with a population of 430,000 and an area of 3,901 square kilometers.

Osceola County is currently developing "NeoCity," the nation's first planned new city by a local government. "NeoCity" is focusing its capabilities on next-generation technology development including semiconductors, smart sensors, optics, and nanotechnology through collaboration with world-class research institutions and companies such as Seoul National University's Global R&D; Center and BRIDG, a public-private semiconductor nonprofit research organization.

Within a site covering approximately 2.02 million square meters, the county has opened a public science high school and is making efforts to develop talent specialized in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Florida has clusters in the semiconductor, aerospace, and defense industries, and with lower corporate tax rates compared to other regions, major tech companies like Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft, as well as startups, are relocating there, making it one of the regions receiving attention in the United States. Florida's tourism industry is also developed, with Disney World located in Orlando achieving the top ranking for domestic tourist visits in the United States as of 2022.

Mayor Lee said, "We welcome the visit of the Osceola County delegation, which is strengthening its competitiveness in the fourth industrial revolution in the United States," and added, "When the 'Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex,' where Samsung Electronics invests 360 trillion won to construct six semiconductor fabs in the Yongin Dongbu and Namsa-eup areas spanning 2.2 million pyeong, and the large-scale project where SK Hynix invests 122 trillion won to build four fabs in Wonsam-myeon spanning 1.26 million pyeong are completed, Yongin City will become a city with the world's largest semiconductor ecosystem as a single city."

Mayor Lee said, "A few months ago, a delegation from Williamson County, Texas visited and signed a memorandum of understanding for friendly exchange and cooperation with Yongin," and added, "Samsung Electronics is building a semiconductor factory in Taylor City, Williamson County, but Samsung Electronics' national industrial complex being developed in Yongin is more than 10 times the scale of the Taylor plant."

Osceola County Chair Cheryl Grieb said, "Thank you for making time despite your busy schedule," and continued, "Osceola County is strengthening investment in semiconductors and advanced IT industries centered on NeoCity. I hope we can cooperate closely with Yongin City to lead the development of both nations and both cities."

Mayor Lee directly briefed on the city's semiconductor industry status centered on the "L-shaped semiconductor belt" and said, "Approximately 150 materials, components, equipment, and design companies are scheduled to enter Samsung Electronics' semiconductor industrial complex, and according to a recent media report after the announcement of the industrial complex development plan, a total of 399 companies have either relocated to or are hoping to relocate to Yongin." He explained, "Approximately 50 materials, components, and equipment companies will enter SK Hynix's Yongin Semiconductor Cluster, and Samsung Electronics' Giheung Campus, which first produced semiconductors in Korea 41 years ago, will be transformed into a future research complex that conducts cutting-edge technology research."

Chair Grieb said, "Mayor Lee's forward-looking leadership is impressive," and continued, "We want to activate the semiconductor industry through NeoCity just as Yongin City has done. Let us actively cooperate moving forward."