Kang Kyung-Sung, Director of Material Component Industry Division of Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Ministry of Industry), said, “A preliminary feasibility study on semiconductors (and its results) valued at 1.5 trillion won will be confirmed (announced) around next month” at the Semiconductor and Display Technology Roadmap Seminar held at El Tower in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, on the 26th.
The Preliminary Feasibility Study Director Kang mentioned at the event that the next-generation semiconductor research and development (R & D) project jointly promoted by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Science and ICT since last year as a cross-Ministry project. Each Ministry will take charge of 750 billion, 1.5 trillion won in total, to carry out relevant projects for 7 to 10 years. The main goals are short-term R & Ds projects and long-term Artificial Intelligence (AI) semiconductors related projects.
According to prior information from the government and officials, it was expected that half of the 1.5 billion won proposed by the Ministries would be reduced after the Preliminary Feasibility Study (Related article Next Generation R&D Business Passed Preliminary Feasibility Study...Formal announcement to be made this month).
However, President Moon, during the Cabinet meeting on the 19th, declared "to increase the competitiveness of non-memory semiconductors, which are relatively less competitive than memory semiconductors, and to swiftly prepare relevant measures to reduce the overemphasis of memory semiconductors,” and, after which, the atmosphere has been changed. Passing the Preliminary Feasibility Study is now given, and it is the expectation of the related ministries that the amount to be reduced from the proposed budget can be minimized. This would be also why Director Kang specifically announced that the budget size would be '1.5 trillion won'.
Director Kang said, "The government will continue to support the semiconductor display industry to create a robust ecosystem and maintain world-class industrial competitiveness."
The Semiconductor and Display Technology Roadmap Seminar was hosted by the Ministry of Industry and was organized by the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association and the Korea Display Industry Association. The event was held to share information between large corporations and small and medium-sized materials and equipment companies. Except for last year, the event has been held every year since 2013.
