US-Korea Economic Security Conference Held
"Must Join Export Controls on Quantum Computing, etc."
The U.S. government has stated that Korean companies should supply high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a key semiconductor necessary for artificial intelligence (AI) development, to the United States and its allies rather than to China. It also urged Korea to participate in export control measures against China related to quantum computing and advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, announced earlier this month.
Alan Estevez, U.S. Deputy Under Secretary for Industry and Security at the Department of Commerce, said at the Korea-U.S. Economic Security Conference held in Washington D.C. on the 10th (local time) that advanced technologies threatening the security of the U.S. and its allies must not be acquired by China.
Deputy Under Secretary Estevez mentioned HBM, which is used in graphics processing units (GPUs), the foundation of AI, saying, "The outcome of the new battlefield will be determined by the technologies we develop today." He emphasized, "There are three companies in the world that produce HBM, two of which are Korean companies. It is important to develop and use that capability for our own and our allies' needs."
HBM is a high-performance memory created by stacking multiple DRAMs vertically. It is necessary for operating AI accelerators. SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics, and Micron dominate the global HBM market, and the U.S. is reportedly consulting with allies, including Korea, to control HBM exports to China.
Deputy Under Secretary Estevez reiterated the need for Korea's participation in export controls against China. He also expressed hope for Korea's involvement in the newly announced export controls on quantum computing, advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and 3D printing, announced on the 5th.
He also confirmed that export control measures are being considered for equipment used in multi-patterning processes, which China relies on for AI semiconductor production.
Furthermore, Deputy Under Secretary Estevez explained that regarding connected vehicle regulations, the U.S. plans to restrict imports of vehicles equipped with parts and software made in countries posing security threats, such as China and Russia. He also suggested that Korean automobile companies will be given sufficient time to replace Chinese-made parts.
He stated, "The software ecosystem, entertainment, software updates, and parts managing the vehicle's powertrain are subject to regulation," and added, "If Korean companies require such capabilities (regulated technologies), there will be some preparation time to adjust the supply chain."
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