[Edaily Reporter Choi Oh-hyun ] As the government accelerates the development of an 800 trillion won semiconductor cluster in the Honam region, securing semiconductor equipment is emerging as a new variable. With existing investments by SamsungElectronics and SK hynix also set to coincide between 2028 and 2029, securing semiconductor equipment in a timely manner is expected to become increasingly important.

Kim Jeong-gwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated at a Cabinet meeting held at the Sejong Government Complex on the 11th regarding the Honam Semiconductor Cluster, “We aim to complete the first phase of the semiconductor fab by 2029,” adding, “We have decided to rapidly push forward with the creation of a national industrial complex and the establishment of an industrial park plan, led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.” To address the global memory chip shortage driven by artificial intelligence (AI), the government is expediting the launch of the cluster—including a plan to temporarily relocate the functions of the Gwangju Military Airport, which has been selected as the site for the Honam Semiconductor Cluster, by mid-2028.

SamsungElectronics and SK hynix are pursuing large-scale investments to build two semiconductor fabs each in the Honam region, for a total of four fabs. In addition, SamsungElectronics is expanding its production capacity, primarily in the Pyeongtaek and Yongin industrial complexes. At the P5 site in Pyeongtaek, construction of Fab 1 and Fab 2 is currently underway, with mass production targeted for 2028. The target date for the start of operations at the Yongin Industrial Complex has been brought forward to October 2029. The first plant at the Taylor site in Texas, U.S., is set to begin operations by the end of this year, while preparations are underway to break ground on the second plant by year-end, with mass production targeted for 2030.

SK hynix is also continuing its investments in production facilities at the Yongin Industrial Complex and in Cheongju. SK hynix is constructing a fab at the Yongin Industrial Complex with the goal of opening its first cleanroom in February 2027. Construction on Cheongju M17 will begin next year, with the goal of starting operations in the first half of 2029. Cheongju P&T7 is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027. The company is also moving forward with the construction of a state-of-the-art packaging hub in Indiana, USA, targeting operations in the second half of 2028.

Amid this, as the schedule for the relocation of the Gwangju Military Airport becomes more concrete, the likelihood has increased that orders for equipment for new domestic fabs will be concentrated around 2028–2029. Consequently, securing semiconductor production equipment and other necessary resources for these new fabs in a timely manner has become even more critical.

Among semiconductor manufacturing equipment, lithography systems are considered the most technically challenging. Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems, which are essential for advanced semiconductor production, are supplied almost exclusively by the Dutch company ASML. Christopher Fouquet, CEO of ASML, stated last July following the second-quarter earnings announcement, “For EUV, we have secured nearly all the orders needed for 2027, and the same applies to 2028,” indicating that production capacity is already fully booked.

The issue isn’t limited to EUV. A single fab requires numerous process equipment units, including lithography, deposition, etching, and cleaning. As investment in back-end processes expands, demand for packaging equipment is also rising. An official from a South Korean semiconductor equipment company said, “Although the circumstances differ from the supply shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on past experience, concerns about equipment shortages are already emerging within the industry,” adding, “There is a rush to place orders—to the extent that next year’s supply volumes are being discussed as early as the beginning of this year.” The official continued, “Recently, demand for back-end equipment, including advanced packaging, has increased significantly.” In fact, global equipment manufacturers are expanding their factories in preparation for potential supply shortages. For instance, HANMISemiconductorCO.,Ltd. is currently constructing Plant 7 in Jwa-an, Incheon, and is also pursuing the acquisition of a site for Plant 8.

The expansion in equipment demand is also reflected in the numbers. According to preliminary import figures for August 1–10 released by the Korea Customs Service today, the value of imported semiconductor manufacturing equipment rose 77.3% year-over-year. According to trade statistics from the Korea International Trade Association, the value of semiconductor manufacturing equipment imports in the first half of this year reached $18.605 billion, a 39.5% increase compared to the same period last year.

Some have raised concerns that if new domestic fab investments proceed simultaneously in the future, rising equipment prices could increase the overall investment burden. However, a semiconductor industry official explained, “While securing equipment more quickly has become more important than before, it does not appear that equipment costs have risen so far.”