"A semiconductor contract program should be a last resort. We need to cultivate semiconductor talent across a wide range of disciplines."

Experts from various fields gathered together to collaborate on developing the talent needed for the semiconductor industry. They discussed a wide range of topics, from fabless ecosystem personnel to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), packaging, and balanced regional development. They united in their commitment to implementing talent development policies that form the foundation of the semiconductor ecosystem.

On the 19th, the "National Assembly Policy Debate on Fostering Semiconductor Professionals" was held in Seminar Room 3 of the National Assembly Members' Hall. The forum shared the current state of the semiconductor workforce shortage and offered suggestions for fostering regionally balanced talent development and fostering specialized talent.
At the discussion that day, Ki-Hyeon Ahn, Executive Director of the Semiconductor Industry Association, appeared as a presenter and presented on the issue of training semiconductor professionals. Executive Director Ahn emphasized that “industry can develop only when we nurture talent,” and that the supply of human resources is deeply related to the growth of the semiconductor industry.

The semiconductor industry is generally perceived as a manufacturing powerhouse, with Samsung and SK Hynix representing the domestic market. However, a closer look reveals a diverse range of sectors, including design, packaging, materials, equipment, and components. This means that a semiconductor major, such as a semiconductor contract program, alone cannot meet the demand for talent across the entire semiconductor ecosystem.

Executive Director Ahn sharply pointed out this point. While recent media reports have widely suggested the need for a semiconductor department, he criticized this as a distortion of the industry's stated goal of nurturing semiconductor talent. Semiconductors require talent in diverse fields, including electronics, electricity, new materials, physics, and chemistry. In practice, the field encompasses not only manufacturing but also design, packaging, and software, encompassing a wide range of fields and processes beyond the scope of a semiconductor major.

Executive Director Ahn said, “According to current statistics, the total number of workers in the semiconductor industry is approximately 177,000, and in a survey of companies, they responded that there is a shortage of 1,510 workers,” but added, “This is not an accurate measurement, and the actual number on site is bound to be higher.”

Executive Director Ahn, who said the statistical data primarily focused on large corporations, said, "If we include small and medium-sized businesses and fabless companies, the shortage would be even greater than the statistics indicate," estimating a shortage of around 3,000 people. He added that parts manufacturers, being smaller than equipment manufacturers, are less easily captured in statistics and surveys, making them even more difficult to recruit.

The demand for human resources in the domestic semiconductor industry is expected to grow by an average of 5.6% annually over the next 10 years, increasing by more than 130,000 people. Given the promising growth prospects for the semiconductor industry, the government needs to develop a long-term plan to continuously meet future talent needs while also developing a vision to address the current workforce challenges. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often lack the capacity to conduct talent training, so government support measures should also be considered.

Executive Director Ahn suggested solutions such as increasing the number of professors in semiconductor-related departments, expanding related research facilities, providing research funding, expanding semiconductor major classes, increasing the number of related departments, and operating an undergraduate system if necessary, and emphasized that contracted departments should be a last resort.
The domestic industry, heavily reliant on semiconductor manufacturing, is severely underserved in the design sector. Former Minister of Information and Communication Yang Seung-taek, who moderated the discussion, expressed concern about the over-saturation of the domestic semiconductor industry. Domestic fabless companies account for a mere 1% of the global semiconductor market, and the 300 or so fabless companies that sprang up in 2010 under government policy have now dwindled to around 50, leaving the industry feeling sluggish.

Kang Sung-won, director of the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, said, “There needs to be another government-level investment in system semiconductors, just like in the 2010s.” He also argued that “there is no ‘top department’ that oversees semiconductor human resource development,” and that “there should be a central department in charge of the entire semiconductor industry and human resource investment.”

There were also calls for regional balance in semiconductor industry investment. Koh Young-sam, director of the Busan Digital Development Institute, argued, "We must find solutions within the framework of national goals and tasks." He cited the Yoon administration's National Goal 6 and Task 85 to emphasize the need for policies to strengthen talent at local universities. He passionately argued, "The government's removal of regulations in the metropolitan area for semiconductor talent development could spark resistance not only at local universities but also across the region."

In the Q&A session, Professor Lee Young-woo of Chonnam National University said, “We can sufficiently cultivate talent in the region, and there are professional faculty members who can contribute to the development of semiconductor experts,” adding, “However, in the case of national universities, there are restrictions on papers and research performance when establishing new departments, so I hope that related difficulties will be reflected in the special law.”