“The global semiconductor industry has been paying attention to Gwangju, South Jeolla Province for a long time. The network established by Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) with global semiconductor companies is evidence.”
Lim Ki-chul, president of GIST (photograph), emphasised all through the interview with Maeil Economy that the Jeonnam Gwangju semiconductor fab is a “golden opportunity.” It is argued that the southwestern semiconductor cluster, which was not too long ago determined by the federal government, shall be a brand new development engine not solely for Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, but additionally for the whole Korean and semiconductor industry.
Lim is a coverage knowledgeable who has served because the presidential secretary for science and expertise and the director of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation (KISTEP). He pressured, “Jeonnam Gwangju is the perfect place for semiconductor fabs to come in, and there is no concern because universities in the southwestern region, centered on GIST, have already prepared for the talent issue.”
◆ Cooperation with global semiconductor firms
President Lim, who has been making ready to kind a semiconductor ecosystem since his inauguration in 2023, has established an ecosystem of cooperation with global semiconductor firms equivalent to Nvidia, ARM, and National Instruments. These firms have determined to prepare semiconductor abilities by operating instructional applications at GIST or offering costly tools for free.
It was lengthy earlier than the federal government introduced that it could set up a semiconductor cluster within the southwestern area that GIST started discussing with them. “Considering the location and Korea’s semiconductor ecosystem, it means that the overseas semiconductor industry was already paying attention to Gwangju, South Jeolla Province,” President Lim mentioned. “The government’s announcement of the mega project has enabled Korea’s semiconductor ecosystem to take off.”
◆ Best location situations for Gwangju, South Jeolla Province
For the explanation that Jeonnam Gwangju is appropriate as a semiconductor location, President Lim thought of Honam to be the very best place to disperse the topography of the semiconductor industry. Semiconductor factories that deal with ultra-precise processes are delicate to earthquakes, however the southwest area has a smaller danger of earthquakes than the southeast area.
The semiconductor course of requires a number of chemical compounds, and the required uncooked supplies could be equipped from Yeosu Chemical Industrial Complex. Another benefit is that there are a lot of car and associated elements factories within the southwest area, that are main shoppers of synthetic intelligence (AI) semiconductors. President Lim mentioned, “The southwestern region is a complete ecosystem that can be used from semiconductor source research to demonstration.” The authorities expects that if a semiconductor fab is established in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, associated secondary firms and small managers (supplies, elements, and tools) firms will are available collectively. GIST is planning to grow to be a focus for innovation that connects expertise, analysis, and industry whereas producing related expertise. AI University, which was launched on the first, was the one one among the many Institute of Science and Technology to embrace the Department of Semiconductor Engineering.
President Lim mentioned, “There are about 2,400 people who can be produced in the semiconductor field for five years, including the Department of Semiconductor Engineering, New Material Engineering, and Physics,” including, “Usually, the doctoral-level manpower in semiconductor factories is around 10%, but it is enough to be nurtured by GIST.” In addition to GIST, there are Korea Energy Technology and Chonnam National University within the southwestern area, so it’s not unreasonable to provide expertise.
◆ Focus on AI semiconductors forward of 10 years
In explicit, GIST plans to give attention to the AI semiconductor sector. Currently, it’s selling the institution of the AI Semiconductor Research Institute, a nationwide AI semiconductor analysis platform. The objective is to mix expertise coaching, R&D, industry-academia cooperation, and technical commercialization centered on the AI Semiconductor Research Institute.
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix determined to construct a reminiscence fab, however specializing in AI semiconductors is as a result of they predict that the industry shall be reorganized sooner or later. Unlike firms and analysis institutes, universities have to look ahead to greater than 10 years, he mentioned. President Lim pressured that the Jeonnam Gwangju Semiconductor Fab ought to succeed for the sake of recent Korean historical past.
[Jeonnam Gwangju Reporter Choi Won-seok]