Government to Actively Foster Next-Generation Power Semiconductors... Commercialization of 5 or More by 2025

'Over 90% Import Dependence' Next-Generation Power Semiconductors Fully Fostered
Development of 3 Major New Material Semiconductors, Securing 6-8 Inch Foundry Infrastructure

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] The government is set to actively foster next-generation power semiconductors, which are core components used in artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles, and more. By 2025, it plans to develop more than five commercialized next-generation power semiconductor products and also promote the establishment of 6 to 8-inch foundry (contract manufacturing) infrastructure.

On the 1st, the government held the 7th Innovation Growth Big 3 Promotion Meeting and announced the "Next-Generation Power Semiconductor Technology Development and Production Capacity Expansion Plan," which includes these details.

Power semiconductors are semiconductors that perform power conversion, voltage transformation, stabilization, distribution, and control. Next-generation power semiconductors refer to semiconductors made from three new material wafers that have better power efficiency and durability than silicon. They are essential components applied in AI, 5th generation (5G) communications, electric vehicles requiring high temperature and high pressure durability, and inverters for renewable energy power generation. As demand for electronic devices expands and power consumption is expected to increase, this field is considered to have high future growth potential.

The global power semiconductor market size is projected to grow from $45 billion in 2019 to $53 billion in 2023. Accordingly, countries such as the United States, China, and Japan are also pursuing various policy supports. Although our government has been conducting the "Power Semiconductor Commercialization Project" worth a total of 83 billion KRW since 2017, the domestic power semiconductor market size is about $2 billion, and due to a lack of technology and overseas companies’ patent preemption, more than 90% of demand relies on imports.

Accordingly, the government has decided to actively support the development of commercialized products, strengthening foundational technologies, and securing future manufacturing processes to achieve global-level competitiveness by 2025.

It plans to discover tasks linked with domestic demand companies and develop more than five commercialized next-generation power semiconductor products.

Currently, to overcome the limitations of silicon materials, it is developing application technologies for three new materials: Silicon Carbide (SiC), Gallium Nitride (GaN), and Gallium Oxide (Ga2O3), and also supports domestic companies in securing material and wafer technologies. Additionally, to develop highly integrated and high-performance next-generation power semiconductors, support for power integrated circuit (IC) design technology development will be promoted.

To expand foundry services related to next-generation power semiconductors, plans to establish mass production processes based on 6 to 8-inch domestic foundries will also be pursued.

Seong Yunmo, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, said, "Efficient power management is essential for realizing new technologies such as AI and 5G, as well as for activating future growth sectors like autonomous vehicles and renewable energy, and next-generation power semiconductors are core components for this. We plan to actively support R&D and infrastructure to preoccupy this still early-stage market and secure future competitiveness."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.