Jiyoung Sohn and Yang Jie of The Wall Street Journal report that Asia’s chip giants are hustling to maintain their edge over the U.S., as they have the know-how, willpower, and supply networks to surpass America’s big push. They write:
In early April, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol didn’t mince his words when describing why chips are paramount to the country’s economic survival.
“The competition over semiconductors unfolding now is an industrial war,” Yoon told government and industry officials. “An all-out war between countries.” […]
The South Korean government has promised faster land approval, guaranteed access to electricity and expanded tax credits for infrastructure investments. Support programs are under way for areas perceived as relative weak points, such as logic chips. Top local universities, in partnership with companies and regulators, have created “semiconductor majors” at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The perk: free tuition and a guaranteed engineering job at Samsung or SK Hynix upon graduation.
Read more here.
