Leaders in the global semiconductor equipment and component industry are expanding their production and R&D bases in South Korea.
For example, Applied Materials is considering setting up an R&D center in Yongin, which is home to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix plants and an R&D center of Lam Research. According to industry sources,
Applied Materials executives are scheduled to visit the city soon. The company signed an MOU to that end with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in July last year.
In the meantime, Edwards Vacuum more than doubled its vacuum pump manufacturing capacity in South Korea in June last year. The British company has a plant in Asan, which accounts for more than 80 percent of its total vacuum pump production
for use in the semiconductor and display industries. Edwards Vacuum’s current global market share is over 50 percent.
With ASML, Tokyo Electron, and so on also moving in the same direction, those in the industry are calling for more deregulation so that their synergy with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix can be maximized.
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