Joint Declaration Ceremony Held for Win-Win Cooperation Supporting the Growth of Semiconductor Materials, Components, and Fabless Companies

The Korea Semiconductor Industry Association held the 10th Semiconductor Day ceremony at the InterContinental Hotel in COEX, Samseong-dong, Seoul on the 26th and awarded 62 semiconductor professionals for their contributions to the development of the semiconductor industry.

The ceremony, hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and organized by the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, was attended by approximately 500 people from the semiconductor industry, including Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Paik Woon-kyu, Korea Semiconductor Industry Association Chairman Park Sung-wook (Vice Chairman of SK Hynix), Samsung Electronics Vice President Jin Gyo-young, Dongbu HiTek CEO Choi Chang-sik, and PSK CEO Park Kyung-soo.

Semiconductor Day was established in 2008 to commemorate October 29, 1994, when semiconductor exports surpassed $10 billion for the first time. Marking the 10th anniversary of Semiconductor Day this year, the Korea Semiconductor Association has put forward the slogan "The Semiconductor Industry, Connecting All Values." The slogan captures how semiconductors, as a core foundational technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, connect vast amounts of data more quickly and precisely, and by expanding these connections, link industries with industries, people with people, and generations with generations.

Park Sung-wook, Chairman of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, stated, “All services realized in the Fourth Industrial Revolution are designed based on connectivity, and semiconductors will act as connecting links, much like neurons.” Chairman Park added, “The semiconductor industry is a connected structure where tens of thousands of people work together across hundreds of processes; this is why the importance of strengthening the ecosystem increases as the industry continues to grow.” Association President Park emphasized, “We must build Semiconductor Korea by connecting not only large semiconductor companies but also equipment, materials, components, and fabless companies through a stronger network.”

At the ceremony held on this day to mark the 10th anniversary of Semiconductor Day, a joint declaration ceremony for win-win cooperation aimed at strengthening the semiconductor industry ecosystem took place. SK Hynix Vice Chairman Park Sung-wook, Samsung Electronics Vice President Jin Gyo-young, Dongbu HiTek CEO Choi Chang-shik, and PSK CEO Park Kyung-soo, who participated in the ceremony, declared their intention to establish a semiconductor win-win council to support the growth of domestic semiconductor materials, components, and fabless companies. To this end, they will identify and support projects in various sectors, including ▲ promoting startups ▲ manufacturing fabless prototypes ▲ and consulting on development and performance verification.

To revitalize startups, the plan includes establishing and operating startup support centers, operating MPW services utilizing domestic semiconductor manufacturing facilities to support fabless prototype manufacturing, and strengthening advisory support services using a pool of domestic semiconductor experts, particularly for materials and components companies among the target companies of the 200 billion won Semiconductor Growth Fund. The scope of advisory support encompasses the identification of development items, R&D, manufacturing, performance verification, and sales. In addition to these measures, the Semiconductor Win-Win Council has decided to continuously identify and promote necessary projects to support the growth of domestic semiconductor materials, components, and fabless companies.

In his congratulatory remarks, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Paik Woon-kyu commended the semiconductor industry for its contributions to economic development, as well as honored individuals who have contributed to the nation's industrial growth. He also expressed gratitude for the achievements and efforts of the semiconductor industry, which is on the verge of achieving 100 trillion won in exports for the first time as a single product category. Minister Baek urged efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of the semiconductor industry and create high-quality jobs through mutually beneficial cooperation between domestic semiconductor conglomerates and semiconductor materials, parts, equipment, materials, and fabless companies.