Samsung, the world’s largest producer of memory chips, smartphones, and TVs, has announced plans to invest around $230.8 billion over 20 years in the South Korean government’s initiative to create a mega semiconductor hub in the country. The investment will fund the construction of five new chip factories, with incentives such as expanded tax breaks and infrastructure support offered to high-tech companies as part of the official plan. South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy expects to secure roughly $426.8 billion in private-sector investment and “leap forward as a leading country in the middle of fierce global competition over advanced industries.”
Paul Triolo from Albright Stonebridge Group, a global advisory firm, noted that South Korea is following in Taiwan’s footsteps with this initiative, aiming to establish a clustering effect that will attract companies upstream and downstream in the supply chain. Semiconductors are vital components in everything from mobile phones to military hardware and are at the center of a growing trade dispute between the US and China. The Chips Act, introduced in the US last year, requires companies exporting chips to China using US tools or software, no matter where they are made in the world, to obtain a license. The South Korean trade ministry has also raised concerns over the US policy on semiconductors, claiming it could deepen business uncertainties, violate companies’ management and technology rights, and make the US a less attractive investment option.
The semiconductor hub is expected to help South Korea cement its position as a leading manufacturer in the sector, with other major microprocessor manufacturers such as SK Hynix already based in the country. The investment will be spread out over two decades, providing a long-term plan to expand the country’s manufacturing capabilities and help it keep up with competitors in the global market. The mega cluster is expected to be a significant part of the country’s semiconductor ecosystem, attracting investment from companies keen to be part of this ambitious project.
