Operational Policy Changed for the First Time in Nine Years to Focus on Substance
Only Forum Supporting Customers and Partners to Be Held
Samsung Electronics has decided not to hold the Samsung Foundry Forum (SFF) this year, an event it has hosted annually since 2016. Instead, the company will only hold the 'Samsung Advanced Foundry Ecosystem (SAFE) Forum,' which highlights its collaborative ecosystem. SFF had established itself as an event to showcase Samsung's advanced semiconductor technologies, but the company is now placing greater emphasis on strengthening its collaborative systems and customer networking rather than displaying its technological prowess. Analysts interpret this as a reflection of Samsung Electronics' 'low key' strategy, which focuses on overcoming the semiconductor crisis through technological accumulation.
The 'Samsung Foundry Forum 2024' held last year at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
According to industry sources on April 28, Samsung Electronics will host the 'SAFE Forum' on June 3 (local time) in Silicon Valley, United States. In connection with this, Samsung Electronics is currently allowing prospective speakers to download, sign, and submit participation consent forms via its global official website. The SAFE Forum is an ecosystem-based program designed to support customers and partners. Its primary focus is to help verify and complete complex chip design processes more efficiently.
However, Samsung Electronics has decided not to hold the SFF separately this year, which was previously organized alongside the SAFE Forum. This marks the first change in operation policy in nine years since the inaugural forum in 2016. An industry insider stated, "In previous years, preparations for the SFF would have been in full swing led by the Device Solutions (DS) division's management, but this year there is no such activity. The atmosphere is focused solely on the SAFE Forum."
Analysts believe Samsung Electronics' decision not to hold the SFF is closely tied to its recent semiconductor management strategy. Since its launch in 2016, the SFF had been a platform to highlight Samsung's technological capabilities, even being held online during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, since last year, as the company has struggled to find a breakthrough in semiconductors, it has shifted its focus toward strengthening its fundamentals. Jun Younghyun, who became head of the Device Solutions (DS) division in May last year, emphasized that improvements in performance were "due to favorable market conditions" and stressed the importance of remaining vigilant. He has called for overcoming the crisis through 'restoring technological competitiveness,' 'preparing for the future,' and 'innovating organizational culture,' making it clear that the company is now prioritizing practical management.
There is a particularly cautious atmosphere regarding technological capabilities in the foundry process. Rather than publicly announcing new research results or achievements, the company is quietly working to strengthen its fundamentals. According to industry sources, Samsung Electronics has reportedly raised the yield rate of its 2-nanometer (1nm = one billionth of a meter) process to around 30?40%. However, concerns about the technological gap between Samsung and TSMC have grown again after TSMC officially announced at the '2025 North America Technology Symposium' in Silicon Valley that it would begin mass production of the 1.4-nanometer process in 2028. Both inside and outside the company, a sense of crisis over these circumstances is deepening.
Jay Y. Lee, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, recently mentioned a sense of crisis at an executive seminar, stating that "Samsung has lost its unique strength" and emphasized, "We must invest for the future, even if it means sacrificing immediate profits." He also repeatedly stressed the importance of strengthening fundamentals and securing talent, urging the company to "train and secure top-tier talent regardless of nationality or gender," prioritizing substance over showmanship.
This year, Samsung Electronics plans to use the SAFE Forum to strengthen ecosystem unity based on collaborative systems and solidify customer trust. The company is particularly aiming to maximize the customer lock-in effect and expand orders by building on this trust.
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