Dutch producer of chip-making tools ASML will collectively make investments 1 trillion South Korean received ($760 million) with South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics to construct a plant that develops cutting-edge semiconductor processing expertise in South Korea.
The announcement got here as South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is within the Netherlands for a four-day go to which seeks to forge a “semiconductor alliance” between the 2 international locations.
ASML is the world’s solely maker of maximum ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines which are required to fabricate essentially the most superior chips resembling these within the newest Apple iPhones that are manufactured by Taiwan’s TSMC.
“The technological innovation led by ASML is changing into a robust driving pressure of the Fourth Industrial Revolution world wide, and Dutch semiconductor corporations resembling ASML and ASM are constructing new amenities for manufacturing, R&D, and expertise coaching in Korea,” South Korea’s presidential workplace mentioned Tuesday.
Yoon visited the headquarters of ASML on Tuesday with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, and toured the manufacturing web site of next-generation EUV machines.
‘Turning level’ for Korea-Netherlands ties
Samsung is the world’s largest maker for dynamic random-access reminiscence chips, that are utilized in client units resembling smartphones and computer systems. South Korean chipmakers depend on ASML’s EUV machines to supply sooner and extra environment friendly chips than rivals.
The assertion additionally mentioned ASML will collaborate with South Korean chip big SK Hynix, the world’s second-largest DRAM chipmaker, to cut back energy utilization and prices for EUVs by hydrogen gasoline recycling expertise.
Forward of his go to to the Netherlands, Yoon advised media outlet AFP that semiconductors are “the linchpin of Korea-Netherlands cooperation.”
“The Netherlands is residence to ASML, which produces the lithography tools that makes semiconductors, and for years the 2 international locations have labored collectively ‘in an exemplary method,” the president mentioned at the moment.
“[This] will mark a vital turning level for the Korea-Netherlands semiconductor alliance.”
He mentioned this go to to the Netherlands will assist each international locations “set up a well-organized institutional framework that may intensively tackle international semiconductor provide chains,” whilst semiconductors emerge as strategic belongings and geopolitical dangers surrounding international provide chains develop.
