Following the US, German President Visits Samsung Pyeongtaek Campus... Securing the Key to Hegemony, 'Semiconductors'

German President Steinmeier to Visit Pyeongtaek Campus on 5th
US President Joe Biden to Meet President Yoon in May
Semiconductors Gain Importance as Key Arena in Global Hegemony Competition

On the 5th, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his spouse, along with President Kyung Kye-hyun (far left) and President Choi Si-young (far right), visited the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus and took a commemorative photo.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Pyeonghwa] Following U.S. President Joe Biden, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Samsung Electronics' Pyeongtaek campus. As the semiconductor industry emerges as a key battleground in the global hegemony competition, visits from prominent domestic and international politicians and dignitaries continue.

According to the business community on the 6th, President Steinmeier and his spouse, who are on a three-day, two-night visit to Korea, toured Samsung Electronics' Pyeongtaek campus, which houses semiconductor production facilities, on the 5th and visited Line 1 (P1). This is the first time a German president has visited the Pyeongtaek campus.

The visit included over 60 people, such as members of the German Bundestag, figures from the business and cultural sectors, journalists, and aides. From Samsung Electronics, semiconductor executives including Kyung Kye-hyun, President of the DS Division, and Choi Si-young, President of the Foundry Business Division, attended.

After touring the production facilities, both sides reportedly discussed semiconductor cooperation measures. President Steinmeier also signed a semiconductor wafer to commemorate the visit.

The business community believes that Germany, being specialized in automobile manufacturing, visited the Pyeongtaek campus to discuss related cooperation. One business official said, "Since Germany is a strong automobile nation, there may have been talks about semiconductor cooperation related to vehicles," adding, "Hasn't there been a supply shortage in automotive semiconductors?"

U.S. President Joe Biden (back) is visiting Samsung Electronics' Pyeongtaek campus on May 20 and signing a prototype of a 3-nanometer semiconductor based on Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology with President Yoon Suk-yeol.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

With the U.S.-China conflict becoming prominent in the semiconductor industry and the semiconductor sector emerging as a major arena in the global hegemony competition, there is also an interpretation that the German president chose the Pyeongtaek campus as a key destination during his visit to Korea. The Pyeongtaek campus is the heart of Samsung Electronics' semiconductor business, a major player in the global semiconductor market, and the world's largest semiconductor cluster.

In fact, the Pyeongtaek campus has reportedly seen continuous visits from key dignitaries from South America, Europe, and other regions. In May, U.S. President Joe Biden also visited. President Biden visited the Pyeongtaek campus as his first schedule upon arriving in Korea to meet President Yoon Suk-yeol.

After touring the production facilities, President Biden repeatedly emphasized statements such as, "The two countries are working together to create the world's best and most advanced technology, and this factory is proof of that," and "This factory enables both Korea and the U.S. to maintain competitiveness in the international economy."

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