The government will establish a legal semiconductor industry development plan by the end of the year, integrating research and development (R&D), materials, components, equipment, specialized workforce, and regional cluster policies.
On September 1, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will hold a kickoff meeting to formulate the 'Basic Plan for Strengthening Semiconductor Industry Competitiveness.' This plan is the first legal framework established under the 'Special Semiconductor Act,' which took effect on August 11. The plan will cover a five-year period from 2027 to 2031.
The core objective is to consolidate previously separate initiatives for semiconductor R&D, materials, components, equipment (known as 'so-bo-jang'), workforce training, and regional industry development into a single long-term strategy. The plan will also include support projects and regulatory improvement tasks from various government departments.
About 15 experts from industry, academia, and research institutions will participate in the meeting to discuss the direction of the basic plan. Participants will examine key issues and policy needs in semiconductor infrastructure, specialized workforce, supply chains, and R&D.
To refine the basic plan, the ministry will operate four subcommittees focusing on regional clusters, AI semiconductor R&D, supply chains and materials, and workforce, regulations, and international cooperation. These subcommittees will gather industry feedback and identify detailed policy tasks over the next four months.
The draft basic plan, developed through consultations and feedback from relevant ministries, will be reviewed and approved by the Presidential Committee on Strengthening Semiconductor Industry Competitiveness before being finalized by the end of the year.
This basic plan is expected to serve as the long-term execution strategy for the semiconductor project among the government's three major mega-projects, which also include physical AI and AI data centers. The government aims to expedite the establishment of production facilities in the semiconductor sector, double memory production capacity within five years, and attract investments of 800 trillion won in the southwestern region and 81 trillion won in the Chungcheong region. The goal is to expand the semiconductor industry, currently concentrated in the capital region, into a nationwide ecosystem for production, materials, components, and post-processing.
Lee Min-woo, head of the Ministry's Industrial Growth Office, stated, "The semiconductor market is rapidly growing around AI, and competition among major countries is intensifying. We will prepare a long-term strategy this year to ensure our semiconductor industry maintains its competitive edge."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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