A National Assembly Research Service review has raised doubts about whether the dams identified for the planned Honam semiconductor cluster can provide a stable industrial water supply. The report examined Jangheung, Boseonggang, Naju and Juam dams and found that their recent inflows varied substantially with rainfall, turning water availability into a concrete feasibility issue for a project that would require dependable utility infrastructure.
Semiconductor fabrication plants need large, continuous volumes of highly treated water, so average annual supply is less important than whether enough water can be delivered reliably during dry periods. The review looked at inflow patterns from 2021 through 2025 and questioned assumptions that the four reservoirs can simply be counted as a stable source without a more detailed supply plan.
Chip fabs need reliability, not just annual volume
The water issue joins wider infrastructure questions around the proposed cluster. A semiconductor complex cannot be evaluated only by land availability or investment commitments; power, water treatment and transmission capacity have to be built on schedules that match factory construction. If water supply requires additional reservoirs, pipelines, transfers or conservation measures, those costs and timelines become part of the project's real development plan.
The report does not by itself cancel or approve the Honam cluster. It identifies a constraint that planners now have to answer with engineering and supply evidence. The important follow-up will be a detailed water plan showing expected demand, drought resilience and the infrastructure needed to deliver industrial water without relying on optimistic assumptions about reservoir inflows.