Lee Jae-yong's 'First On-site Management of the New Year' at Pyeongtaek Plant: "Let's Create a System Semiconductor Miracle" (Comprehensive)

Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong attended the Foundry production equipment installation ceremony at the Pyeongtaek plant on the 4th.

[Photo by Samsung Electronics]

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[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Despite the COVID-19 pandemic situation, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who traveled to domestic and overseas business sites last year, visited the semiconductor foundry equipment import ceremony at Pyeongtaek Plant 2 as his first on-site management activity of the new year on the 4th.

Lee’s visit to Pyeongtaek Plant 2, which is at the forefront of Samsung Electronics' 'Semiconductor Vision 2030,' on the first working day of the new year is interpreted as a sign of strengthening semiconductor equipment investment and unwaveringly moving toward the goal of becoming the world’s number one in system semiconductors.

Pyeongtaek Plant 2 is an advanced complex production line producing DRAM, next-generation V-NAND, and ultra-fine foundry products. Samsung Electronics imported equipment for foundry production this year following memory semiconductor production last year.

The event was attended by Vice Chairman Kim Ki-nam, President Choi Si-young of the Foundry Business Division, as well as five representatives from partner companies: ▲Yong-han Lee, Chairman of Wonik IPS ▲Kyung-soo Park, Vice Chairman of PSK ▲Woo-kyung Lee, CEO of ASML Korea ▲Jun-hyuk Lee, Vice Chairman of Dongjin Semichem ▲Ji-wan Jung, Chairman of Soulbrain. Samsung Electronics minimized the number of attendees to fewer than 10, considering the recent spread of COVID-19 infections, and strictly followed quarantine guidelines during the event.

Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong is inspecting the EUV dedicated line at the Pyeongtaek plant on the 4th.

[Photo by Samsung Electronics]

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Vice Chairman Lee received reports on ▲the construction and operation status of Pyeongtaek Line 2 ▲semiconductor investment and hiring status ▲joint projects with partner companies, inspected the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) dedicated line essential for implementing ultra-fine semiconductor circuits, and then visited the construction site of Pyeongtaek Plant 3 to encourage employees. He also discussed ways to foster the domestic semiconductor ecosystem and enhance mutual cooperation with partner company representatives attending the equipment import ceremony.

Lee said, "Let’s leap forward as a new Samsung in the new year 2021," adding, "Together, we can open the future wide. Samsung Electronics, partner companies, academia, and research institutes should cooperate to create a healthy ecosystem and make a new legend in system semiconductors."

Since announcing the 'Semiconductor Vision 2030' in 2019, Lee has been directly overseeing the system semiconductor business. Samsung Electronics plans to invest 133 trillion won by 2030 to achieve the world’s number one position in system semiconductors.

Contrary to initial expectations that management activities would shrink due to judicial risks, Lee continued to focus on on-site management last year.

In January last year, Lee’s first on-site management visit was to Samsung Electronics’ Hwaseong semiconductor research center; in February, he visited the Hwaseong EUV line; in May, the semiconductor plant in Xi’an, China; in June, the Hwaseong semiconductor plant and semiconductor subsidiary Semes in Chungnam; and in October, he traveled to the Netherlands to meet ASML executives and discuss semiconductor equipment procurement.

Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited the Pyeongtaek plant in Gyeonggi-do on the 4th to review the semiconductor mid- to long-term strategy.

[Photo by Samsung Electronics]

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Additionally, he visited Samsung Electronics’ Gumi plant, Hanoi plant in Vietnam, Seoul Research and Development (R&D) Center, Samsung Electro-Mechanics Busan plant, and Samsung SDI Cheonan plant, urging challenges and innovation. A business community official evaluated, "Lee’s first step after his final statement at the December 30th retrial of the National Pension Service scandal, promising to 'only do things that increase company value and contribute to society,' is being fulfilled."

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics is also implementing various programs to expand the domestic semiconductor ecosystem, including partner companies, small and medium fabless (semiconductor design specialists), and design houses, to contribute to the domestic system semiconductor ecosystem.

Accordingly, Samsung Electronics is leading the nurturing of the domestic system semiconductor ecosystem through ▲joint development of equipment and materials with partner companies ▲expansion of incentives for excellent partners ▲support and technical education for domestic fabless companies ▲expansion of cooperation with design houses ▲cultivation of excellent talent through expanded industry-academia cooperation ▲and semiconductor win-win funds.

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