'Push for 2nd Ascent after Crisis'

The Korean memory industry takes a record high 53.2 percent of the global market

Roughly 600 people in the semiconductor and related industries got together for a ceremony marking the 4th Semiconductor Day and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association (KSIA) at Yeouido 63 City in Seoul on Oct. 28.
Among those on hand at the ceremony were Hynix Semiconductor President Kwon Oh-chul, concurrently KSIA chairman; Minister of Knowledge Economy (MKE) Choi Joong-kyung; and representatives from government, industry and academic circles.
The ceremony also became an event for the Korean memory industry to celebrate reaching a record high market share in the global semiconductor market despite a recession. Korean memory makers saw their global market share surge from 49.9 percent in 2010 to 50.1 percent in the first quarter of 2011 and 53.2 percent in the second quarter.
The participants pledged to make another leap as a global semiconductor power by stepping up co-prosperity efforts in the system semiconductor, equipment, and material fields.
MKE Minister Choi delivered a congratulatory speech in which he praised those in the semiconductor industry for the achievements they have made for the past 30-odd years, despite the stark business environment, as well as prize winners in recognition of their contributions to elevating the global standing of the Korean semiconductor industry. He noted that Korean semiconductor makers have ranked number one in the world in the memory chip sector, but the Korean semiconductor industry still has a long way to go, and it needs to establish an industrial ecosystem for promoting co-prosperity among component, fabless, foundry, equipment, and material makers to take the upper hand in the global market.
A total of 35 awards including government orders and medals were presented to people, companies, and organizations that have contributed to the development of the Korean semiconductor industry.
The Order of Industrial Service, Silver Tower, went to Lee Yong-han, chairman of Wonik, in recognition for localizing the Dry Etcher and ALD System, core equipment in the process of making semiconductors, while Han Il-soo, president of Charm Engineering Co, was honored with the Order of Industrial Service, Stone Tower, for his contribution to ramping up the competitiveness in the Dry Bevel Ether field.
Han Jae-won, managing editor of Dongbu HiTek, and Choi Choon-yup, managing director of Hynix Semiconductor, each received the President's award.
The winners of the Prime Minister's award were Han Shi-jae, managing director of LG Siltron; Prof. Lee Jong-ho of Seoul National University; and Park Yoon-soon, president of TSE.
Semiconductor Day, which normally falls on Sept. 23 each year, was established in 2008 in celebration of the nation's surpassing of the $10 billion mark in semiconductor exports.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, Jun Dong-soo, president of the memory division at Samsung Electronics, said Samsung Electronics' patent war with Apple in mobile gadgets has no impact on the Korean electronics maker's memory semiconductor division.
Jun said, "Even if the mobile devices division of Samsung Electronics files a lawsuit with Apple, our division will maintain relations (with Apple) as a normal partner, since each division has its own responsibilities in business and competes in a fair manner."
As to the recently announced remarkable third-quarter performance by the memory division, he said Samsung Electronics has nimbly responded to a shift in the memory semiconductor market from a PC-oriented one to a mobile device-oriented one. All things ―technology, business model, and supply chain ―have changed following the shift from the PC-oriented market to a mobile-oriented one, and the development of products tailored to meet clients' needs and quality management are essential, he noted. nw

Dignitaries, including MKE Minister Choi Joong-kyung, attend a ceremony marking the 4th Semiconductor Day and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association at Yeouido 63 City in Seoul on Oct. 28.
Photo on courtesy of MKE

President Jeon Dong-soo of Samsung Electronics Co.
Photo on courtesy of Samsung Electronics