Yoon Seok-Yeol ‘Semiconductor Supply Chain’, US-Japan ‘Advanced Semiconductor Alliance’ Samsung ‘Investment in Japan’
The Yoon Seok-yeol regime jointly agreed on the 'semiconductor supply chain' at the Korea-US summit, and the following US-Japan summit agreed on the 'high-tech semiconductor alliance', and ahead of the Hiroshima G7 Korea-US-Japan summit, Samsung invested '300 billion won in Japan', making Japan a high-tech semiconductor base became the leader
The Nikkei reported on the 14th that Samsung will start a cutting-edge semiconductor device prototype line in Yokohama, Japan within the year with an investment of more than 30 billion yen (about 300 billion won) and operate it in 2025.
In a statement from the Korea-Japan summit earlier in Seoul, President Yoon said, “Regarding economic cooperation, Prime Minister Kishida and I will work together to establish a solid semiconductor supply chain between Korean semiconductor manufacturers and Japanese excellent materials and parts equipment companies. We agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation,” he said.
Earlier, at the Korea-US summit in Japan in March, President Yoon requested investment from Japanese materials and parts semiconductor companies in a semiconductor investment strategy worth 30 billion won in the metropolitan area, but at the Seoul meeting, this was unsuccessful and Samsung's investment in Japan seems to have been decided.
In 2022, a period of conflict between Korea and Japan over semiconductor materials and general manager, out of 103 parts suppliers to Samsung, Japanese companies accounted for 18, the second largest after Korea (48). Technologist New Flare Technology and electronic judge Meiko have been found to have continued trading, and it seems that Samsung is trying to switch to Japan after the US failed in the early stages of developing high-tech semiconductors.
In a statement from the summit, Prime Minister Kishida said, "Exchanges in the private sector, especially in the business world, are vigorously reviving, and exchanges among lawmakers are also gaining momentum." We decided to receive the dispatch of ”.
In the joint declaration at the Korea-US summit held in May of last year, President Yoon said, “We have agreed to continue to cooperate within the supply chain ecosystem (omitted)” in “Global Supply Chain Resilience Led by the US.”
Japan agreed on the 'next-generation semiconductor alliance' at the US-Japan summit in May last year, and major conglomerates became joint producers of next-generation semiconductors. 'Rapidus' built a factory in Chitose, Hokkaido, and the government provided 330 billion yen to Lapidus. do.
Bloomberg said on the 11th that Lapidus aims to start mass production of 2-nano micro-process semiconductors from 2027. It happened,” he reported.
Tetsuro Higashi, Chairman of Rapidus, told Bloomberg, “We will be able to secure not only the 2-nano process in 2027, but also the next-generation 1.4-nano technology in the near future.” “We are working with various materials and equipment companies.”
Chairman Higashi said, “Rapidus has all the necessary conditions to achieve its goal,” and “Japanese semiconductor equipment and material companies are securing a perfect supply chain system. “Rapidus will be able to stand out by focusing on new businesses such as artificial intelligence semiconductors, and great growth opportunities are right in front of us,” he told Bloomberg.
Samsung plans to “promote mass production in 2027” for 1.4-nano fine process semiconductors, so Bloomberg seems to have predicted that it will “overtake” Samsung Electronics in advanced semiconductor technology and production.
Omdia, a market research firm, told Bloomberg, “Rapidus is attempting an extremely difficult task, but considering the base of several partners, it is not impossible.” Close collaboration can significantly reduce the time required for technology development.”
Regarding the US-Japan advanced semiconductor alliance, Bloomberg said, “The entities most actively helping Lapidus achieve these aggressive goals are IBM of the United States and the Japanese government.”
Rapidus was promoted after the US-Japan summit in May 2022, and in November, it was jointly developed and produced next-generation semiconductors by eight Japanese conglomerates, including Toyota, Sony, Softbank, Kiosia, NTT, NEC, Denso, and Mitsubishi UFJ Bank. Founded.
Chairman Higashi Lapidus said in an interview with Kyodo News on the 3rd, "To develop technology, we need 2 trillion yen in funds," and "For the additional 3 trillion yen needed for semiconductor plant construction, stock listing will be an important means." (IPO) and government funding.
The Japanese government previously announced that it would provide 330 billion yen in support for the Lapidus semiconductor plant in Hokkaido and a similar level of financial support every year in the future.
Taiwan's TSMC started construction of a semiconductor plant in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan in April of last year and put it into operation at the end of 2024, and the Japanese government provided TSMC with a subsidy of 476 billion yen, half of the plant construction cost.
About 30 billion yen to 10 billion yen injected into Samsung's Yokohama plant is expected to be filled with support from the Japanese government.
The Nikkei said, “Samsung Electronics and Japanese subsidiaries will start improving semiconductor production technology in both countries through joint research.” “The Japanese government’s semiconductor investment subsidy is expected. Samsung Electronics has already applied for subsidies related to the construction of semiconductor facilities from the Japanese government.”
Japan's Rapidus aims to lead the high-tech semiconductor system by mass-producing 2 nanometer (nm) process semiconductors in 2025 and 2027, which Samsung tried but failed and TSMC has not established commercial production technology.
President Yoon’s joint statement from the Korea-US summit in May of last year said, “Based on the cooperation between countries facilitated by the US-led Global Supply Chain Resilience Summit and close cooperation at the (omitted) meeting, the two leaders will respond to the immediate and long-term challenges within the supply chain ecosystem. “The two leaders also agreed to establish regular ministerial-level supply chain and industry dialogues to discuss promoting resilient supply chains for key items such as semiconductors, batteries and key minerals,” he said.
On the 13th, the 'contaminated water inspection team' council agreed upon at the Korea-Japan summit was attended by the Prime Minister's Office, the Nuclear Safety Commission, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Science and ICT. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRA) defined it as a 'briefing session' through a video link to Tokyo Electric Power Co., Ltd.
A press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan said, "At the briefing session, there was an explanation and Q&A from Japan based on matters of interest from the Korean side." We will explain this transparently and respectfully to the international community,” the IAEA International Organization Inspection Standard set as Korea-Japan relations.