Israeli attack in Gaza kills three, including a child

The strike in Deir el-Balah is the latest Israeli attack amid ongoing ‘ceasefire’ violations.

By Christine Maguire

Published On 29 Jun 202629 Jun 2026

At least three people have been killed in an Israeli air strike in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, health authorities say.

An eight-year-old and two men were killed in Monday’s attack, and several people were wounded, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said.

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The strike occurred near Wadi Salqa Bridge on al-Baraka Street. The Palestinian news agency Wafa named those killed as Ali Fayez Isbaitan, Hassan Salman al-Hanajra and eight-year-old Malik Wael Abu Shaweesh.

Israeli military vehicles also advanced on Salah al-Din Street in the Nuseirat refugee camp, also in the central Gaza Strip, amid gunfire and shelling, Turkiye’s Anadolu news agency reported. Two people were reported injured by shelling in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza.

Despite the “ceasefire” that came into effect in October, Israeli forces continue to carry out strikes on the enclave.

Israeli attacks killed at least four Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday, including a 13-year-old girl, and wounded several.

Ongoing violations

Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that 1,045 Palestinians have been killed since the “ceasefire” took effect and 3,380 have been injured. It has documented 3,465 Israeli violations of the agreement.

“We strongly condemn the occupation’s systematic policies of targeting and destroying the Palestinian people,” it said.

It called on the mediators and parties sponsoring the “ceasefire” to compel Israel to implement all of its terms and “immediately cease its ongoing violations”.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Sunday that a total of 73,054 Palestinians have been confirmed killed and 173,480 injured since Israel launched its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza in October 2023.

Also during the “ceasefire”, the Israeli military is continuing to expand the area it is occupying inside the Strip and to issue forced displacement orders. It says Palestinians are not allowed to approach the Israeli-occupied area beyond the “Yellow Line”, which encompassed 53 percent of Gaza’s territory at the start of the ceasefire and had increased to 64 percent by March.

Anadolu reported that Israeli military vehicles have moved the “Yellow Line” markers about 150 metres (165 yards) to the west in central Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for Israeli forces to occupy 70 percent of the Strip.

Britannia will no longer rule the waves

 

British Royal Navy Will Field No Destroyers By 2040: Next Generation Type 83 Ships Cancelled as Ageing Type 45s Approach Retirement

North America, Western Europe and Oceania , Naval

Military Watch Magazine Editorial Staff

June-29th-2026

---

British Royal Navy Type 45 Class Destroyer

The British government has confirmed the cancellation of the planned Type 83 class destroyer program, which was intended to provide a much needed replacement for the Royal Navy’s six ageing Type 45 class destroyers. The decision marks a dramatic reversal of policy, with the Type 83 having formally entered its concept phase in 2025 as the centre of the Royal Navy’s Future Air Dominance System program. The new ships were intended to replace the Type 45 fleet from the late 2030s, with ministers repeatedly describing the Type 83 as the future backbone of Britain’s maritime air defence capability. The decision to cancel development will leave the Royal Navy with no destroyers by 2040, and possibly sooner, as the Type 45 class is scheduled to be retired without a direct replacement by 2038. 

Type 83 Class Destroyer Concept Art

While it was previously uncertain whether the Type 45 would have a successor, or whether the Royal Navy would transition to a surface combat fleet formed exclusively of lighter frigates and corvettes, a surge in defence spending from 2022, an the escalation of tensions with Russia, strengthened support for increasing funding for the Navy. The Type 83 class program began to gain traction in 2025, with Defence Minister Luke Pollard having revealed in September that year that it would be a “minimally (or optionally) crewed” vessel, and was “planned to enter service from the mid-2030s.” One of its most significant improvements over the Type 45 was the integration of 70-128 vertical launch cells, compared to just 48 cells on the Type 45 class ships, 96 on U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke class destroyers, and 112 on Chinese Type 055 class destroyers. It would thus narrow the currently very wide gap in firepower between British destroyers and those of leading naval powers.

British Royal Navy Type 45 Class Destroyer

The cancellation of the Type 83 destroyer program has occurred as major powers are rapidly building up their fleets of large surface combat ships. China is currently producing destroyers at a comparable rate to all other countries combined, while North Korea in 2025 launched its first two destroyers and plans to launch two per year, allowing it to overtake Britain’s fleet in size in 2029 and reach double its numbers in 2031. The U.S. has meanwhile continued development of both the DDG(X) next generation destroyers and the much larger BBG(X) nuclear powered capital ship under parallel programs. The standings of British surface combat ships, and those of European states more broadly, have long been in decline, with the Type 45 considered one of the least capable and most lightly armed destroyers in the world. The elimination of a destroyer fleet is thus fully in line with prevailing trends. 

Chinese Type 055 Class Destroyer - Currently Wide Assessed to be the World`s Premier Destroyer Type

The cancellation of the Type 83 program reflects mounting financial pressures on Britain’s defence budget, as over recent years, rising costs across nuclear deterrence programs, combat aircraft procurement, and broader military modernisation have forced increasingly difficult choices regarding future capabilities. It also follows growing questions regarding the defence sector’s ability to produce complex armaments on schedule, cost effectively, and with acceptable reliability. Earlier reports had suggested the Type 83 might simply be delayed because of budget constraints, but the latest Defence Investment Plan instead abandons the class entirely in favour of less expensive platforms focused on autonomous warfare. Analysts have widely warned that autonomous systems cannot entirely replace large, heavily armed destroyers. 

British Royal Navy Type 45 Class Destroyers

The Type 83 was expected to possess substantially greater power generation, sensor capacity, missile magazine depth and command facilities than the Type 45, enabling it to counter future generations of long-range missiles and coordinate complex fleet air-defence operations. Analysts have widely argued that no currently envisioned autonomous architecture can fully substitute for a purpose-built destroyer during high-intensity naval warfare against peer adversaries. Nevertheless, it was from the outset highly questionable whether British industry could develop a next generation destroyer, with the availability rates of the Type 45 having been notoriously poor as the ships have been prone to frequent breakdowns particularly when operating in warm waters. The more recently built Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers have also suffered from serious performance issues including multiple instances of breakdowns and flooding, while the country’s capacity to maintain its submarine fleet has remained outstandingly poor with availability rates being far below acceptable levels, and having recently fallen to zero.

Article 3 Is Not A Licence To Discriminate And Intimidate

 

Dennis Ignatius

 

~ Provoking discussion, dissent & debate on politics, diplomacy, human rights & civil society.

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Article 3 Is Not A Licence To Discriminate And Intimidate

29MondayJun 2026

Posted by Dennis Ignatius in Multiculturalism, Politics, religious freedom

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Article 3, Constitution of Malaysia, race & religion, religious freedom

[1] The Selangor state government recently revised its guidelines on non-Muslim places of worship, removing some of its most discriminatory regulations. It was long overdue. 

[2] As expected, PAS and various Muslim NGOs were quick to protest. PAS information chief Fadhli Shaari invoked Article 3 — Islam as the religion of the Federation — to justify his opposition. Others piled on: Why provide land for non-Muslim houses of worship when Islamic institutions aren’t given equal emphasis? Why prioritise this when affordable housing, road congestion and lack of schools remain unresolved? 

[3] These objections are risible — and contemptuous of the Constitution itself. What those invoking Article 3 conveniently ignore is that the very same article which declares Islam the religion of the Federation immediately adds: “but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation.” Article 11 reinforces this further, explicitly guaranteeing freedom of religion — including the right to build houses of worship. Read together, Articles 3 and 11 make one thing abundantly clear: the recognition of Islam as the religion of the Federation was never intended — and cannot be used — as a constitutional basis for discriminating against, or subordinating, other faiths.

[4] The Constitution treats all religions with respect, dignity and equal standing before the law. Anyone who uses Article 3 to harass non-Muslim communities, obstruct the building of temples and churches, or brand minority faiths as undeserving of government support is not defending the Constitution — they are betraying it. It is bigotry dressed up in legal language.

[5] As well, the claim that Islamic institutions are neglected is both disingenuous and misleading. The federal government alone allocated RM2.6 billion for Islamic development in Budget 2026 — the highest in history — with state religious department budgets adding significantly more. Non-Muslim religious institutions receive no equivalent budget line; only sporadic, discretionary allocations. The disparity is a matter of public record, and those making the neglect argument know it, but facts are inconvenient when the goal is to incite.

[6] As for affordable housing, road congestion and lack of schools — these are legitimate concerns but they have nothing to do with whether non-Muslims are entitled to build houses of worship. The Constitution does not require minorities to wait until every other policy problem is resolved before non-Muslim religious groups can be treated with fairness and dignity.

[7] Article 3 does not make Malaysia an Islamic state, however often the claim is repeated. As Tunku Abdul Rahman declared during the constitutional debates in 1958: “This country is not an Islamic state as it is generally understood; we merely provided that Islam shall be the official religion of the State.” That was the constitutional understanding of Malaysia’s founding generation and remained the official position of the first three prime ministers. Mahathir’s later Islamic state declaration may have been politically expedient but remains constitutionally irrelevant.

[8] Fadhli also asks what the “pressing need” is for Selangor’s revised guidelines. The answer is obvious to anyone who has watched non-Muslim communities spend years — sometimes decades — applying to build a temple or a church, only to be denied, delayed or shouted down. The Church of the Divine Mercy in Shah Alam waited nearly three decades, from its initial land application in 1977 to its opening in 2005 — a saga of bureaucratic obstruction, repeated site changes and organised opposition. It is not an isolated case. It is the norm.

[9] The Selangor guidelines are not an attack on Islam. No mosque is being demolished. No Muslim right is being curtailed. The state is doing its job: governing for all its citizens, not just some of them. That this is even controversial tells you how far things have gone.

[10] The threat to religious freedom is real and growing. It is rooted in a deep-seated intolerance towards other faiths that has been allowed to fester for decades and is now reflected in the conduct of public institutions. Radical preachers and activists routinely demean other religions with impunity, while the authorities who would act swiftly if the target were Islam look the other way. The enforced disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh and others remains a chilling reminder of how vulnerable religious minorities have become. These are not isolated abuses. They are the consequence of a sustained distortion of the Constitution to legitimise discrimination and unequal treatment. If Article 3 continues to be weaponised against the very religious freedoms the Constitution was designed to protect, it is not only non-Muslims who will lose. It is the Constitution itself – and with it, the idea of Malaysia as a nation governed by law rather than prejudice.

Dennis Ignatius | Kuala Lumpur | Monday 29 June 2026

Puad claims secret Umno‑PAS talks bred overconfidence, now BN faces precarious situation

Puad claims secret Umno‑PAS talks bred overconfidence, now BN faces precarious situation



Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Puad Zarkashi speaks during a press conference at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur June 7, 2023. Picture by Firdaus Latif

Monday, 29 Jun 2026 3:56 PM MYT


JOHOR BAHRU, June 29 — Former Johor assembly speaker Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi claimed that the secret plot between Umno and PAS to form a political partnership for the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections had led to the former being conceited.

He alleged that such efforts among the Malay nationalist party leaders to hold closed-door negotiations with PAS had existed even in the previous Johor election.

Puad, who was a former Umno supreme council member, revealed that the initial agreement required PAS to sit out the Johor state election, paving the way for a Barisan Nasional (BN) victory in all 56 constituencies.

He claimed that the proposed pact had caused several Umno leaders to be over-confident that the party can be victorious in Johor.

“Among the Umno leaders, Datuk Megat (political secretary to the deputy prime minister Datuk Wira Megat Zulkarnain Omardin) believed that if the negotiations were successful Umno can win big in Johor.

“Unfortunately, the Umno-PAS collaboration failed and this has caused BN to be in shambles.

“The situation is made worse by the recent BN candidates line-up consisting of recycled, mediocre (figures) and seen as anti-aspirational,” he said in his latest Facebook posting today.


Earlier, Puad revealed that the so-called negotiations with PAS were also raised in the Umno supreme council meeting on June 10.

He and several other supreme council members reminded the party leadership that negotiations with PAS should only continue if the goal was to win the state election or general election.

“However, if the collaboration is aimed at uniting the ummah, it will not succeed.

“It would be better to instead focus on the National Musyawarah Council that is chaired by Tan Sri Ghani Othman,” he said.

Puad said there are also those in Umno who believe that it is all right for former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to still be incarcerated.

To them, he said the Umno PAS collaboration would have a greater impact compared with Najib’s freedom, when he could help with campaigning in Johor.

“This situation has also turned some Umno leaders egoistic and over-confident,” he said.

Puad, who is often outspoken, left Umno on June 25 following his disagreement with the BN candidates list for the Johor election.

Can fish be vaccinated just by eating? NUS scientists target deadly virus wiping out farm stocks

Can fish be vaccinated just by eating? NUS scientists target deadly virus wiping out farm stocks



Scientists at the National University of Singapore have developed an experimental oral vaccine that can be mixed into fish feed to protect farmed fish from nervous necrosis virus, a highly contagious disease that causes mass die-offs in larvae and juvenile fish in aquaculture. — Unsplash pic

Monday, 29 Jun 2026 1:21 PM MYT


SINGAPORE, June 29 — What if fish could be vaccinated just by eating their feed?

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) are betting on exactly that to tackle a deadly virus threatening aquaculture stocks, The Straits Times reported today.

The team has developed an oral vaccine that can be mixed into fish feed to protect larvae and fingerlings, which are too small to be individually injected.

“Now, the fish will have the antibodies and so when the real virus hits, they will recognise this virus immediately and eliminate it,” NUS biological sciences professor Yang Daiwen was quoted as saying.

The target is the nervous necrosis virus, a highly contagious infection that attacks the nervous system of fish and can wipe out nearly all larvae and juvenile fish it infects.

In current practice, vaccines are injected one fish at a time, a method researchers say is impractical for young fish and labour-intensive at scale.

Yang’s team said larvae face near 100 per cent mortality when infected, making early-stage protection critical for aquaculture survival rates.


The oral vaccine works by using virus-like particles that mimic the pathogen but carry no genetic material, triggering immunity without causing infection.

These particles are then wrapped inside the bacterium Lactococcus lactis, which protects them from stomach acid and delivers them into the fish’s intestines.

Once absorbed, the immune system produces antibodies, including neutralising antibodies that block the virus from infecting cells.

Yang said the protected version of the vaccine doubled antibody levels compared with unprotected particles and reduced viral load in the brain by about 300 times after exposure.

In grouper trials, vaccinated fish recorded survival rates of about 95 per cent compared with 60 per cent in unvaccinated fish.

The vaccine has so far been tested under laboratory conditions on Asian sea bass and grouper, both widely farmed in the region.

While promising, the oral version is still less potent than injectable vaccines and requires higher doses to achieve similar protection.

The researchers have filed three patents and are now preparing industry partnerships for field trials in commercial farms.

They are also exploring a similar oral vaccine approach for scale drop disease, another destructive fish virus affecting farmed species.

Azalina tables sweeping amendment to Act 792 expanding child sex crime law and closing loopholes overseas

Azalina tables sweeping amendment to Act 792 expanding child sex crime law and closing loopholes overseas



Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the move is in line with efforts to strengthen protection for children against cross-border sexual crimes, while ensuring the act remains relevant amid the evolving nature of sexual offences. — Bernama pic

Monday, 29 Jun 2026 4:53 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 — The proposed amendment to the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (Act 792) seeks to ensure that Malaysia does not face jurisdictional constraints in taking action against perpetrators of child sexual crimes, even if the offences are committed abroad.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the move is in line with efforts to strengthen protection for children against cross-border sexual crimes, while ensuring the act remains relevant amid the evolving nature of sexual offences.

“The government is of the view that protection should not cease simply because the offence was committed overseas or the perpetrator falls beyond Malaysia’s jurisdiction,” she said when tabling the Sexual Offences Against Children (Amendment) Bill 2026 for second reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

In this regard, Azalina said the bill proposes an amendment to Section 3 of Act 792 to expand its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

She said that under existing provisions, Section 3 applies only to offences committed abroad by Malaysian citizens, but the amendment seeks to extend its scope to permanent residents and individuals who ordinarily reside in Malaysia.

“At the same time, protection is also extended to children who are Malaysian citizens, permanent residents, or ordinarily reside in Malaysia,” she said.

Azalina said that data from the Internet Watch Foundation, reported in 2025, showed that 16,238 reports of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) involving Malaysian children were recorded in 2024, an increase of more than 225 per cent compared with the previous year.


“In the first six months of 2025 alone, 12,656 reports were recorded. These figures show that the threat to children is no longer confined to physical spaces, but is increasingly growing in the digital environment and across borders,” she said.

She added that sexual crimes against children are becoming increasingly complex, involving the use of closed platforms, encryption technology, false identities and cross-border operations, making detection and prosecution more difficult.

“This amendment sends a clear message that Malaysia will not compromise on any form of sexual exploitation against children.

“Children do not choose to be victims. Therefore, it is our shared responsibility to ensure they are always protected through strict, modern and effective laws,” she said. — Bernama

1MDB suit against Rosmah going nowhere as court awaits new judge

1MDB suit against Rosmah going nowhere as court awaits new judge


A case management session is slated for next week, with the court expected to provide updates and directions on the future of the litigation

1MDB and its co-plaintiffs are suing Rosmah Mansor for proprietary and monetary relief in connection with the purported purchase of luxury goods using funds allegedly misappropriated from the companies. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A multi-million dollar civil suit brought by 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and 10 other entities against Rosmah Mansor appears to have ground to a halt, with no trial dates in sight due to a vacancy on the bench.

The suit, commenced in May 2024, seeks proprietary and monetary relief for luxury goods allegedly purchased by the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak with funds misappropriated from the companies.

The judicial vacancy has also resulted in several critical interlocutory applications, made by both parties, being put on hold.


A case management session is slated for next week, with the court expected to provide updates and directions on the future of the litigation.

At the heart of the suit is the claim that Rosmah received and possessed thousands of luxury items that were funded using assets belonging to 1MDB and its subsidiaries.


Investigations by liquidators revealed a complex money trail involving more than US$346 million.

The plaintiffs claim that these funds were channelled through eight offshore paying entities controlled by several known Najib proxies, including Low Taek Jho (or Jho Low) and Eric Tan.

They also claim that between 2009 and 2014, approximately 320 payments were made to at least 48 different vendors worldwide to facilitate these high-end acquisitions.

The plaintiffs contend that these transactions were “coordinated and sham” efforts to move misappropriated money through various intermediaries before reaching the vendors.


The case will see Shabnam Naraindas Daswani, originally named as a co-defendant, testify for 1MDB against Rosmah after the suit against her was discontinued two months ago.


The items in question are linked to the massive haul seized by the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) during the May 2018 raids at Pavillion Residence. That seizure included 11,991 pieces of jewellery and over 700 handbags.

The public prosecutor had sought to forfeit these items under anti-money laundering laws, but failed, after a judge ruled in 2022 that the prosecution could not show a direct link to any predicate offence committed by Rosmah.

The goods were returned to her in stages throughout 2022.


However, 1MDB and the other plaintiffs now claim that these specific items were purchased with misappropriated funds, forming the basis of this civil recovery effort.

The suit names 1MDB Energy Holdings Limited, 1MDB Energy Limited, 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited, Global Diversified Investment Company Limited, SRC International Sdn Bhd, Affinity Equity International Partners Limited, Alsen Chance Holdings Limited, Blackrock Commodities (Global) Limited, Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners Limited, and Brightstone Jewellery Limited as co-plaintiffs.

Nga moots waiving toll fees for Johor polls

Nga moots waiving toll fees for Johor polls


The DAP deputy chairman says this will help Johoreans across the country return to cast their ballots and 'safeguard democracy'

DAP deputy chairman Nga Kor Ming suggested waiving the toll charges on July 10 and 11, on the eve of polling day and polling day itself.

PETALING JAYA: DAP deputy chairman Nga Kor Ming has suggested that the government waive toll fees on all highways across the country ahead of the Johor state election on July 11.

He suggested waiving the charges on July 10 and 11 to help Johoreans across the country return to cast their ballots, China Press reported.

Nga, the housing and local government minister, said he will raise the proposal with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim when the Cabinet meets on Wednesday.


Nga said PAS’s call on supporters to back Barisan Nasional in seats not contested by Perikatan Nasional risked giving BN a major victory.
Kerajaan



He said BN had already undermined democracy in Johor by pushing through a bill to introduce appointed assemblymen in the state legislature.


“I want to urge the Chinese community nationwide to remain vigilant, be aware of the challenges ahead, and fully mobilise to vote for Pakatan Harapan in order to safeguard democracy.

“At this critical juncture, everyone should return home to vote on July 11. Your vote will determine both your future and the country’s future,” he said at a dinner in Pasir Pinji, Ipoh, to celebrate DAP’s 60th anniversary.

Nga also warned against Chinese voters being divided and backing MCA, saying the community’s population had been declining and is projected to drop to 13.8% of the country’s demographic by 2050.

Splitting the community’s votes would ultimately mean losing political influence, he said.


“As long as everyone comes out to vote and the Chinese community remains united, we can continue to play the role of a decisive minority.

“This is especially true in states like Perak and Johor, where non-Malay communities make up between 46% and 48% of the electorate. If Chinese and Indian voters unite with a common purpose, every vote will carry weight,” he said.

2 Malaysians injured in southern Thailand bomb blast

2 Malaysians injured in southern Thailand bomb blast


It is understood that three people were travelling in a vehicle at Tak Bai in Narathiwat province this afternoon, but the third occupant escaped unharmed

Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat said the victims were travelling in a Malaysian-registered vehicle during the 12.40pm incident. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Two Malaysians were injured in a bomb blast in the Thai border town of Tak Bai in Narathiwat province this afternoon.

The two victims, aged 38 and 45, sustained bodily injuries in the 12.40pm incident, and the vehicle they were travelling in was also damaged, reported Harian Metro.

They are receiving treatment at Narathiwat Hospital.


It is understood that three people were travelling in the vehicle, but the third occupant escaped unharmed.

Amin Mat Yusof, who is the MP for Thailand’s Sungai Golok and Tak Bai districts, said the bomb exploded as the victims were travelling through the area in a Proton X50.

“Both victims are in stable condition,” he said.

Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat confirmed that the victims, who were travelling in a Malaysian-registered vehicle, were injured in the explosion.

“We are still gathering further information,” he said.

South Korea to invest nearly US$1.2 trillion in chips, AI data centres

South Korea to invest nearly US$1.2 trillion in chips, AI data centres


The enormous cash injection comes as Asia's fourth-largest economy rides high on a global AI boom

President Lee Jae Myung said South Korea must accelerate AI development to secure key technologies and remain competitive. (EPA Images pic)

SEOUL: South Korea will invest nearly US$1.2 trillion – equivalent to more than two-thirds of its GDP – in a new chip-building hub and AI data centres over several years as it seeks to profit from soaring demand while developing previously neglected regions.

The enormous cash injection comes as Asia’s fourth-largest economy rides high on a global AI boom – with South Korean memory chipmakers emerging as a crucial cog in the fast-moving industry.


“Speed is the only path to survival. We must secure the core elements of artificial intelligence faster than any other nation,” President Lee Jae Myung said in Seoul at an event to unveil the public-private collaboration.


Samsung Electronics and SK hynix will make a record investment of 800 trillion won (around US$520 billion) in a new semiconductor fabrication hub in the country’s southwest, the government said.

Both companies have seen profits and share prices skyrocket in recent months, as frenzied demand for AI infrastructure squeezes the global supply of memory chips.


The government also announced a separate investment of a quadrillion won (around US$650 billion) in AI data centres over the next 10 years.

The plans are in line with Lee’s agenda for industrial development in regions outside the capital, and industry minister Kim Jung-kwan said the Samsung-SK hynix project will comprise four fabrication plants.

“We will develop the southwestern region into a second semiconductor production hub,” he said.

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix will each build two plants under the 800 trillion won project, according to Kim’s presentation slide.


Capacity expansion

“Permit approvals and construction timelines will be dramatically shortened to rapidly expand production capacity,” Kim said.

“Through this, we will maintain an overwhelming market leadership and a decisive technological gap in the memory semiconductor sector.”

Science minister Bae Kyung-hoon announced that the country will invest 550 trillion won on AI data centres by 2029.


“By 2035, an additional 10-gigawatt AI data centre will be built, with a total investment exceeding 18.4 gigawatts and 1,000 trillion won.”

The new investment is by far South Korea’s largest.

The southwestern region of Honam – a traditional liberal stronghold encompassing Gwangju and the Jeolla provinces – has long lagged behind the more industrialised southeast.

This disparity dates back to rapid economic development under former president Park Chung-hee in the 1960s and 70s.

But without incentives for companies to voluntarily relocate, the massive investment could backfire, warned Kim Dae-jong, a professor of Business Administration at Sejong University.

This could, in turn, hurt the nation’s semiconductor competitiveness.

“It is essential to minimise the financial burden, amounting to hundreds of trillions of won, as well as the time-related risks faced by companies,” said Kim.


Renewables

Analysts say there are abundant renewable electricity resources in the southwest, making it possible for companies to meet their commitments to boosting green energy use.

But they caution that building an entirely new semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem away from the existing industrial base around Seoul would require significant time and investment.

“Establishing production lines from scratch could take more than five years,” Lee Jong-hwan, a semiconductor engineering professor at Sangmyung University, told AFP.

“The biggest challenge is that most skilled workers and suppliers remain concentrated around the Seoul metropolitan area.”

Concerns were also raised about heavy demand for water. President Lee wrote on X on Saturday that “assessments indicate it is possible to supply one million tonnes of industrial water per day” in the region.

The announcement comes as South Korea debates how the enormous profits generated by the global AI-driven semiconductor boom should be shared more broadly across society.

Kim Yong-beom, the president’s chief policy secretary, in May suggested using excess AI-related tax revenue to fund startup support for young people, basic income programmes for rural and fishing communities, and assistance for artists.

The boom has also fuelled worker demands over pay packages, with Samsung averting a major strike in May by agreeing a deal on bonuses with its largest 

union.

***

South Korea has my admiration