Ministry of SMEs and Startups Holds 3rd Fabless-Foundry Win-Win Council Meeting... Samsung Electronics and Others Participate

Discussion on Solutions to Fabless Field Challenges
Request for Participation of Outstanding Companies in November System Semiconductor Job Fair

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwak Minjae] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 29th that it held the '3rd Fabless-Foundry Council' at the Pangyo Startup Zone, attended by the Korea Fabless Industry Association, four domestic foundries including Samsung Electronics, and officials from the Seoul National University System Semiconductor Industry Promotion Center.

The Win-Win Council was launched in January this year as a regular communication channel between the fabless industry and foundries. The council has been held quarterly to resolve on-site difficulties faced by small and medium fabless companies, to concretize cooperation plans, and to spread the achievements of win-win cooperation.

In July, it was jointly held with Samsung Electronics Foundry to select five promising fabless companies. This is one of the expansion plans for fabless prototype production processes proposed by the Korea Fabless Association. Samsung Electronics provided priority access to prototype production processes for the five selected fabless companies, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups supported 100 million KRW per company for the required costs. The first prototype process is expected to start as early as next month.

The Korea Fabless Industry Association, which was previously an unofficial organization, attended the Win-Win Council for the first time as a non-profit corporation officially authorized by the government. During the meeting, the association’s work plan, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ achievements in supporting fabless collaboration, and future cooperation plans among attendees were discussed. The Ministry will review these and reflect them in policy.

Additionally, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups requested active participation from member companies of the Fabless Association and excellent partners from each foundry in the 'System Semiconductor Specialist Job Fair' to be held jointly with Seoul National University in November this year.

No Yongseok, Director of SME Policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, “As the competition for semiconductor supply chain supremacy among countries intensifies and difficulties deepen due to complex crises such as the three highs (high inflation, high interest rates, and high exchange rates), I appreciate the efforts of stakeholders for the development of Korea’s system semiconductor industry.” He added, “Going forward, the Win-Win Council will continue to be a partner that solves fabless field difficulties together and promotes various policies.”