"Platform Needed for Korea-Taiwan Semiconductor Cooperation"

FKCCI Holds the 46th Korea-Taiwan Economic Cooperation Committee Meeting

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Pyeonghwa] As the United States and Japan discuss advanced semiconductor development, there is a call for South Korea to actively collaborate with Taiwan on semiconductor-related businesses and investments. There was also a demand for a platform to expand related discussions. Additionally, advice was given on the need to pioneer new solutions in equipment, where South Korea has strengths, and packaging, where Taiwan excels.

The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) held the "46th Korea-Taiwan Economic Cooperation Committee" on the 18th at the FKI Conference Center Topaz Room, jointly with the Taiwan International Economic Cooperation Committee (CEICA), to discuss these matters.

This event was held to explore economic cooperation measures in fields such as information and communications, semiconductors, textiles, clothing, and fashion, and finance between Korea and Taiwan. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the event was conducted online. From Korea, Kim Jun, Chair of the Korea-Taiwan Economic Cooperation Committee, Kwon Tae-shin, Vice Chairman of FKI, and Jung Byung-won, Representative of the Korean Representative Office in Taipei, attended. From Taiwan, Zhu Zuyang, Chair of the Taiwan-Korea Economic Cooperation Committee, and Zhang Yuanluo, Director of the International Trade Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, were present.

In his greeting, Chair Kim said, "Since its inception in 1968, the Korea-Taiwan Economic Cooperation Committee has paralleled the development history of the economies and industries of both sides, which created something out of nothing. The reason Korean and Taiwanese businesspeople have been able to maintain exchanges for 55 years is that they have continuously sought win-win solutions and new business opportunities based on the fundamental values of liberal democracy and a market economy."

In his congratulatory speech, Liang Guangzhong, Representative of Taipei in Korea, explained, "Last month, Taiwan fully restored visa exemption benefits for Korea to the pre-COVID-19 level, and from the 13th of this month, quarantine exemption after entry was implemented. We hope that mutual visits between the people of Korea and Taiwan will be as active as in the past."

At the meeting, Kang Jun-young, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and president of the Korean Association of Taiwan Studies, gave a presentation titled "The Korean Economy in 2022 and Korea-Taiwan Economic Cooperation." President Kang said, "With the United States and Japan launching a bilateral discussion body within Chip4 (Korea, United States, Japan, Taiwan) and discussing 2-nanometer semiconductor development, there is a need for a platform to coordinate current issues, cooperation, and investments between Korean and Taiwanese companies. In the highly competitive semiconductor sector, it is worth considering establishing a semiconductor industry cooperation subcommittee under the Korea-Taiwan Economic Cooperation Committee."

Another presenter, Kim Min-hyun, CEO of Hanmi Semiconductor, regarding cooperation in the semiconductor sector between Korea and Taiwan, emphasized, "South Korea, the world leader in memory semiconductors, and Taiwan, the world leader in foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing), should be connected through a healthy competitive relationship and a strong complementary relationship. As process miniaturization becomes more challenging, packaging is developing as an alternative. Therefore, cooperation is needed to pioneer new solutions by combining Korea's strength in equipment and Taiwan's strength in packaging."

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