Yoon Meets Zuckerberg, "Meta-Samsung Collaboration Helps Stabilize TSMC Dependence" (Comprehensive)

Yoon Mentions Samsung and Government System Semiconductor Investment
South Korea-Meta Seek Cooperation in Devices and Metaverse Fields
Requests Meta's Role in Preventing AI Fake News

President Yoon Suk-yeol met with Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, on the 29th and mentioned that Samsung Electronics' advanced semiconductors could help stabilize Taiwan's TSMC dependency amid geopolitical circumstances.

This was an indirect reference to the increased risks faced by TSMC, the leading foundry, due to the worsening cross-strait relations following the election of pro-American Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, aimed at supporting sales efforts of Korean companies.

A senior official from the presidential office told reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office that morning, "Meta relies heavily on Korean components, but we also discussed the issue of dependence on Taiwan's TSMC during this vulnerable and volatile period."

CEO Zuckerberg agreed with President Yoon's explanation of the capabilities of domestic semiconductor companies, stating, "Samsung, as a giant foundry company, holds a very important position in the global economy," and added, "These aspects could be key points in cooperating with Samsung."

In response, President Yoon said, "Government support is already being provided for areas where Samsung Electronics can invest, including investments near Seoul to foster an ecosystem for Samsung's AI semiconductors and system (non-memory) semiconductors," the official explained.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is shaking hands and taking a commemorative photo with Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the morning of the 29th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon and CEO Zuckerberg discussed not only cooperation in non-memory semiconductors but also memory semiconductors, AI platforms, and global collaboration across the entire AI cooperation spectrum. This signifies a concrete effort to strengthen cooperation between the Korean government and companies and Meta in the AI field, which the government has identified as one of the three major game-changing technologies, to secure a leading position in future industries.

CEO Zuckerberg, visiting Korea for the first time in over a decade since June 2013, met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan, and representatives of startups in AI and extended reality (XR) sectors prior to his meeting with President Yoon.

Seong Tae-yoon, the presidential office's policy chief, conveyed during a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office that President Yoon requested cooperation from CEO Zuckerberg regarding memory semiconductors as well.

President Yoon introduced to CEO Zuckerberg, "Recently, AI technology has expanded its application to various fields such as data centers, autonomous vehicles, and the Internet of Things, intensifying global AI competition, especially among global big tech companies that are fiercely competing to secure AI semiconductors," adding, "Korean companies hold the world's top competitiveness in the essential memory sector of AI systems, ranking first and second globally."

Not only cooperation between Korean and American companies but also a supply chain cooperation system between the two governments has been established, and the government expressed its willingness to support cooperation between companies of both countries. Regarding this, President Yoon emphasized, "South Korea, which possesses a diverse portfolio including smart home appliances, wearable devices, and smart cars recognized worldwide for their high technology and quality, can be an excellent platform where Meta's AI can be applied."

Regarding the metaverse business, he said, "Korea continues to support the metaverse industry, a future growth engine that creates new added value beyond spatial and temporal constraints," and requested, "We hope to cooperate with Meta in R&D and talent development to foster the metaverse ecosystem."

He also added, "If Meta collaborates with Korean companies strong in hardware in the XR headset field, which is emerging as an important hardware platform for the metaverse, it will create great synergy," and "Korean industries are ready to actively support what Meta imagines and designs."

Seong introduced that President Yoon requested Meta's active role in preventing manipulation and agitation using AI. This is significant as major countries including Korea and the United States face elections this year, and democracy must not be undermined by fake news.

President Yoon said, "The increasing fake news and false agitation manipulation using AI pose a serious threat to liberal democracy," and requested, "Since many countries worldwide will hold elections this year, big tech platform companies like Meta should pay special attention to swiftly monitor and take action against fake news and various deceptive acts."

CEO Zuckerberg reportedly explained, "Meta is making active efforts to prevent election fraud," and mentioned that extensive collaboration with foreign governments, including the Korean National Election Commission, to control the spread of misinformation is possible.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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