[Edaily Reporter Choi Oh-hyun ] SamsungElectronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee visited a state-of-the-art semiconductor packaging research center in Yokohama, Japan, to review the progress of next-generation technology development. Through a series of visits to Japan, Chairman Lee is working to secure advanced packaging technology—which has emerged as a key factor in artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor competitiveness—and is strengthening cooperation with the local semiconductor ecosystem.

According to Samsung on the 1st, Chairman Lee visited the “Advanced Package Lab (APL),” a cutting-edge semiconductor packaging research hub located in Yokohama, Japan, that day. Together with local researchers, Chairman Lee reviewed the progress in developing core technologies for advanced packaging materials and processes and discussed ways to collaborate with Japan’s semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment industries. In particular, he urged them to focus on securing advanced packaging technologies, which will determine semiconductor competitiveness in the AI era.

Chairman Lee’s on-site visit took place approximately two months after the APL officially opened on September 8. SamsungElectronics decided to establish the APL in Yokohama in 2023 and is building its research infrastructure by investing a total of 40 billion yen (approximately 350 billion won) over five years starting in 2024. APL is a facility dedicated to developing and validating the materials and process technologies required for advanced semiconductor packaging, operating independently from the packaging research organization under the company’s domestic semiconductor research institute. SamsungElectronics plans to continuously expand its local research workforce to develop Yokohama into a global hub for packaging research and development (R&D).

Advanced packaging is rapidly emerging as a core technology that determines the performance and power efficiency of AI semiconductors. This is because the technology—which connects different semiconductors, such as graphics processing units (GPUs) and high-bandwidth memory (HBM), into a single package—directly affects data processing speed, power consumption, and heat generation. This is why SamsungElectronics is intensifying its efforts to secure advanced packaging technology. The company plans to expand its research scope at APL to include not only next-generation materials and process technologies—such as wafer bonding and glass substrates—but also the development of new packaging structures for the mass production of low-power, high-performance semiconductors.

The reason SamsungElectronics chose Japan as a key research hub is the country’s robust local ecosystem for semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment. Japan is home to world-class semiconductor equipment manufacturers as well as component and materials companies. In particular, Yokohama’s proximity to Tokyo makes it easy to secure top-tier research talent, and its concentration of related companies, universities, and research institutions provides an advantage for collaborative research. SamsungElectronics plans to combine Japan’s expertise in materials and equipment with its own capabilities in memory and system semiconductor design and manufacturing to accelerate technology development and commercialization. In fact, representatives from major partners, including Japanese semiconductor equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron and semiconductor substrate manufacturer Ibiden, attended the APL opening ceremony.

SamsungElectronics has recently been expanding its research footprint in Japan. In March of this year, the company designated Tokyo as the second overseas research hub for Samsung Global Research and plans to complete its establishment in the second half of the year. This facility will analyze trends in Japan’s industry, technology, markets, and policies.

Chairman Lee is also actively deepening ties with Japan. Last September, he hosted a luncheon with a delegation from the Japanese House of Councillors visiting South Korea to discuss the outlook for the semiconductor business and ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. Last month, while in Japan, he reportedly summoned five top executives—Vice Chairman Chung Hyun-ho (Chairman’s Advisor), President Park Hak-kyu (Head of Business Support), Vice Chairman Jeon Young-hyun (Head of the Device Solutions (DS) Division), President Roh Tae-moon (Head of the Digital Experience (DX) Division), and President Kim Yong-kwan (Head of the DS Division)—to the site to discuss key management issues, including semiconductors.