South Korea: Production stopped without Japanese materials and equipment:
-Samsung semiconductor and LG battery-
LG Energy Solution:
LG Energy Solutions, the largest battery manufacturer in South Korea.
Important material for EV batteries:
“Aluminum pouch film” is imported from Japan’s Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. and Showa Denko.
Export restrictions to South Korea:
In 2019, Japan enforced export restrictions on South Korea for three types of important semiconductor and display materials.
Korea LG Energy’s response:
LG Korea has swiftly set out to secure an alternative supplier.
LG Energy contacts Korean and Chinese manufacturers,
Aluminum film tested,
I contacted all parties to receive the delivery.
but,
LG still uses the products of two Japanese companies that control 70% of the global market.
I have tested multiple pouch films,
Neither price nor performance meet the criteria,
This is because it was decided that mass production would be impossible.
Korea Automobile Research Institute
Lee Hung Research Committee
South Korea is working on domestic production, but Japan is in control of most of the important technology patents.
Besides that, positive and negative binders for secondary battery electrodes,
Electrolyte additives, copper foil manufacturing equipment, etc.
Many products are absolutely dependent on Japan.
Government of South Korea:
Discovered alternative supply chains overseas.
However, most products depend on Japanese companies.
“Photoresist”:
“Photoresist”, one of Japan’s export-controlled items in 2019
Dependence on imports from Japan dropped from 93.2% in 2018 to 79.5% last year.
Imports from Belgium are 10 times higher:
South Korea has increased the value of imports from Belgium, which it has secured as an alternative supplier, more than 10 times.
Imports from Belgium accounted for 15.8% last year.
Government of South Korea:
“It’s a result of reducing dependence on Japan,” he said.
Nihon Keizai Shimbun:
“Photoresist imported from Belgium by South Korea”
“Manufactured at JSR Belgium factory in Japan”.
“Korea has released deceptive figures,” he reported.
This is because it is still a product of a Japanese company, just because the country of manufacture of the photoresist has changed.
High-purity hydrogen fluoride:
High-purity hydrogen fluoride subject to regulation,
Korean companies such as Soul Brain and ENF Technology have succeeded in domestic production.
South Korea cannot escape the shadow of Japan, although it has secured technological capabilities and started mass production.
From raw material supply and demand to manufacturing:
For producing high-purity hydrogen fluoride,
“All related companies, from raw material supply and demand to manufacturing, are joint ventures with Japanese chemical manufacturers.”
Seoul Brain, South Korea
Korea ENF Technology
Soul Brain:
Raw materials are supplied from FECT, which was established as a joint venture with Stella Chemipha of Japan and Maruzen Yuka Shoji of Japan.
ENF Technology:
Fem Technology, a high-purity hydrogen fluoride production company, is a joint venture with Morita Chemical Industries, Ltd. (32% stake) in Japan.
Semiconductor equipment also depends on Japan:
Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest company, will have a big hindrance to the process without Japanese equipment.
Lasertec EUV inspection:
Japan’s Lasertec is the only manufacturer in the world of semiconductor extreme ultraviolet (EUV) inspection equipment.
The largest export destination of Lasertec is also South Korea.
other than this,
Tokyo Electron, Ebara Corporation, etc.
Japanese companies specialize in producing equipment necessary for semiconductor special processes.
Samsung Electronics representative:
We talked with a Samsung Electronics representative about the risks of the semiconductor equipment supply chain.
The answer is that “100% independence from Japanese equipment manufacturers” is not possible at this time.
Survey by the Institute of Foreign Economic Policy:
South Korea has imported all of its semiconductor laser cutting machines from Japan for the last two consecutive years.
Photo resist coating / developing machine,
Injector for etching semiconductor wafers,
Equipment that cuts wafers into individual chips,
All imports from Japan exceed 90%.
Institute of Foreign Economic Policy
Jung Hyun-gon Senior Research Committee
In 2020, we surveyed all imported items of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
As a result, 22 items were more dependent on imports from Japan than 70%.
“If Japan enforces export restrictions in the equipment field, it will inevitably hit South Korea.”
Chosun Online | Chosun Ilbo
http://www.chosunonline.com/m/svc/article.html?contid=2022021180054
South Korea Still Excessively Dependent on Japan in Semiconductor Industry – Businesskorea
http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=83040