Defense chief visits Gwangju air base amid planned relocation for chip project
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul, second from right, inspects a military airport in Gwangju, home to the Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing, which has been handpicked as the site for an envisioned chip cluster, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul visited an air base in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Wednesday to inspect the readiness of a key Air Force unit as the government plans to relocate the base to support a major semiconductor cluster project, his office said.
Kang toured the Gwangju Air Base, home to the Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing, in the namesake city, about 270 kilometers south of Seoul, in a bid to urge troops to cooperate in completing the country's key strategic policy while maintaining a robust readiness posture.
The Gwangju Air Base has been picked as the site for the envisioned chip cluster in the Honam region and is expected to be moved to nearby Muan County.
"The military should coordinate closely with the defense ministry to follow through on the temporary rearrangement (of the 1st Fighter Wing) and the relocation of the Gwangju Air Base while maintaining a robust aerial defense posture," Kang said.
The government plans to temporarily relocate three squadrons of the 1st Fighter Wing to three air bases, located in Yecheon, Seosan and Chungju, respectively, to minimize disruptions in their operational capabilities.
Initially, the government planned to complete the relocation of the fighter wing by mid-2028, but President Lee Jae Myung ordered officials to expedite the process last month, saying relevant regulations or guidelines should be revised if needed.