{"id":2204542,"date":"2024-04-04T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2204542"},"modified":"2024-04-05T09:50:27","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T00:50:27","slug":"south-koreas-tech-ambitions-at-risk-from-governments-rd-budget-whiplash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/04\/south-koreas-tech-ambitions-at-risk-from-governments-rd-budget-whiplash\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s tech ambitions at risk from government\u2019s R&D budget whiplash"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Yoon administration\u2019s <\/span>decision to cut<\/span><\/a> the country\u2019s research and development (R&D) budget for 2024 by 15% from the previous year sparked intense backlash from the research community, raising concerns about South Korea\u2019s ability to maintain its competitive edge in the global technology market.<\/span><\/p>\n The initiative was met with intense criticism, as exemplified by a recent incident at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). During a graduation ceremony, a student <\/span>protested<\/span><\/a> against the budget cut while President Yoon Suk-yeol delivered his speech.<\/span><\/p>\n INTENSIFYING GLOBAL COMPETITION<\/b><\/p>\n The semiconductor industry has become increasingly crucial in the modern global society, with far-reaching applications across sectors such as communication, transportation, healthcare and clean energy. The recent acceleration of artificial intelligence (AI) development has further increased the demand for semiconductors, making them a key component in electronic devices.<\/span><\/p>\n The U.S. and Taiwan, two of South Korea\u2019s main competitors in the technology market, have made significant investments in the semiconductor industry.<\/span><\/p>\n Reuters<\/span><\/i> reported<\/span><\/a> that U.S. President Joe Biden is in talks to provide subsidies exceeding $10 billion to Intel to boost its semiconductor development. Additionally, the U.S. government has been closely collaborating with Nvidia to support chip production capabilities by strengthening and reshoring supply chains.<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world\u2019s largest chipmaker, recently <\/span>opened<\/span><\/a> a new chip fabrication plant in Japan to diversify its semiconductor supply chain.<\/span><\/p>\n With support from the Japanese government, TSMC has expanded its capacity to meet rising customer demands while Japan seeks to gain a foothold in the semiconductor industry. TSMC also announced plans to build a second plant in Japan, set to begin operation by 2027, demonstrating its long-term commitment to the initiative.<\/span><\/p>\n In this context, South Korea faces the need to remain competitive in the global semiconductor market. The country\u2019s position as a leader in the industry is critical to its economic growth and technological advancement.<\/span><\/p>\n