{"id":2197640,"date":"2022-07-22T12:27:48","date_gmt":"2022-07-22T03:27:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/pro\/?p=2197640"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:12:08","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:12:08","slug":"semiconductor-wars-south-korea-puts-chips-at-center-of-national-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2022\/07\/semiconductor-wars-south-korea-puts-chips-at-center-of-national-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Semiconductor wars: South Korea puts chips at center of national security"},"content":{"rendered":"
Semiconductors serve as the lifeblood of most advanced economies, enabling high-tech goods such as mobile devices, computers, household appliances and automobiles. Prior to COVID-19, powerful countries penned policies that would allow them to procure a larger market share of semiconductor production in recognition of their accelerating importance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now, amid an unremitting <\/span>supply chain crisis<\/span><\/a>, nations are revisiting their approaches. Overarching endeavors such as <\/span>Made in China<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Make in India<\/span><\/a>, through which Beijing and New Delhi funnel hundreds of billions of dollars into their semiconductor industries, reflect the belief that reshoring is critical.<\/span><\/p>\n These inward-facing policies seek to expand domestic semiconductor production and R&D in order to build <\/span>technological self-sufficiency<\/span><\/a>. This means being able to operate without <\/span>overt reliance<\/span><\/a> on global supply chains and proprietary research for higher technological production capacities and manufacturing.<\/span><\/p>\n New South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeul is a big proponent of this approach, and he appears poised to strengthen the country\u2019s global technological foothold via special focus on the semiconductor industry, a move that could benefit not only the country\u2019s economy but also its long-term security.<\/span><\/p>\n MOON PUSHES SEMICONDUCTORS<\/b><\/p>\n Yoon’s predecessor also recognized the importance of ramping up domestic semiconductor manufacturing. But in the face of slowing economic growth and a <\/span>widening trade surplus<\/span><\/a>, the Moon administration focused on fortifying South Korea\u2019s high-tech industries as a long-term strategy with mainly economic objectives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Moon Jae-in\u2019s <\/span>five-year plan<\/span><\/a> announced in 2017 outlined goals to develop both physical and digital infrastructure to broaden access to social services and create jobs. And <\/span>the State Affairs Planning Advisory Committee<\/span><\/a>, charged with implementing the plan, established a committee for the <\/span>express purpose<\/span><\/a> of researching and developing core digital infrastructure for the internet of things (IoT), 5G, artificial intelligence and other future-oriented industries \u2014 known as Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies (4IT).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Moon strove to leverage the myriad strengths of the South Korean economy \u2014 its semiconductor industry chief among them \u2014 to minimize future vulnerabilities that could arise in crises due to <\/span>global dependency<\/span><\/a>. The administration achieved some success on this front but was ultimately bogged down by a litany of socioeconomic issues, such as the <\/span>housing crisis<\/span><\/a> and COVID-19.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The former president was thus <\/span>unable to realize<\/span><\/a> his lofty <\/span>goals<\/span><\/a> of transforming South Korea into a bigger global foundry manufacturing leader and securing a 10% market share of fabless revenue by 2030.<\/span><\/p>\n