Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi‑ae visits ASM to bolster Korea’s semiconductor ecosystem

South Korean Governor Choo Mi‑ae toured ASM’s Innovation Manufacturing Center in Hwaseong, meeting local chip‑equipment makers and city officials. She emphasized the need for fast‑track infrastructure—power, water, transport—and talent development to sustain the country’s “super‑gap” in semiconductors, pledging a “virtuous cycle” of growth for firms and residents.

The visit comes amid a historic boom for Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which has sparked intense profit‑sharing debates and drawn attention from the United States, China and Taiwan. Analysts warn that the surge in memory‑chip revenues could trigger trade‑policy pressures, with the U.S. urging domestic fabs and China seeking its own memory capacity. The geopolitical backdrop adds complexity to Korea’s strategy for maintaining its leading position in the global semiconductor supply chain.