Securing 45 Semiconductor Supergap Technologies Over 10 Years: An All-Out Effort

Ministry of Science and ICT to Announce Roadmap on the 9th Afternoon
Launch of Public-Private Consultative Body Also Scheduled

The government will focus on research into 45 future semiconductor technologies across three major fields over the next 10 years to secure a semiconductor super-gap technology. A public-private consultative body will also be formed to concentrate capabilities and provide strategic support.

Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT. File photo.

On the afternoon of the 9th, Lee Jong-ho, Minister of Science and ICT, announced this at a semiconductor future technology roadmap presentation and the launch ceremony of the public-private consultative body held at a hotel in Yangjae-dong, Seoul.

Under the vision of securing a super-gap through fostering strategic semiconductor technologies and creating new gaps, the government set goals to preempt superior technologies for achieving a super-gap in memory and foundry, and to secure core technologies for new gaps in system semiconductors. To this end, in the device sector, 10 technologies will be developed including new device memory and next-generation devices at the level of DRAM and NAND flash. In the design sector, 24 core technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), 6G, and power and automotive semiconductor design will be preempted. In the process sector, 11 technologies will be secured to achieve self-reliance in materials, equipment, and processes by acquiring core technologies for front-end and back-end processes.

The Ministry of Science and ICT also held a semiconductor future technology public-private consultative body agreement ceremony after the roadmap presentation. Besides the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy participated, and from the industry side, the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, Korea Fabless Semiconductor Industry Association, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix were involved. From academia, the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea, the Korean Semiconductor Society, the Korean Society for Semiconductor Display Technology, and the Korean Microelectronics and Packaging Society attended. National research institutes such as the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, and Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials also joined.

Minister Lee Jong-ho said, "By launching the semiconductor future technology public-private consultative body, we will create a research and development ecosystem that enables continuous and regular cooperation among key institutions from the government, industry, academia, and research sectors," adding, "Based on the roadmap announced today, we will set semiconductor technology policies and business directions and promote strategic R&D."

Meanwhile, the government announced last July its R&D investment and support plan for the semiconductor sector over the next five years. It aims to train 150,000+ semiconductor personnel over 10 years, invest 340 trillion won in companies over five years, achieve a 10% market share in system semiconductors by 2030 (currently 3%), and reach 50% self-reliance in materials, parts, and equipment by 2030 (currently 30%). The government will also invest 563.5 billion won this year in all semiconductor fields including R&D and workforce development.

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