【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】

According to the Korea Central News Agency and the Seoul Economic Daily, on November 19, South Korean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Goo Won-chul, said during a press conference that China's momentum in the semiconductor sector is very rapid.

Goo expressed concerns about the South Korean economy, stating that China is rapidly narrowing the technological gap.

"I often feel that the speed at which China is catching up is very fast," he said with concern, "China is making every effort to surpass South Korea's semiconductor industry."

He continued, saying, "As a head of the economic department, I was shocked and even felt a chill when I heard that China is also trying to catch up in the semiconductor industry where we have a dominant position."

On November 19, Goo (left) held a press conference. Korea Central News Agency

Goo also spoke about the South Korea-US trade relations and the trade negotiations between the two countries. He pointed out that during tariff negotiations with the U.S., he experienced the high level of uncertainty in the global economy. He said, "Countries around the world are prioritizing their own interests, and factors such as the weaponization of resources, imposition of tariffs, and export controls are seriously impacting the global value chain."

He emphasized that South Korea should focus its efforts and policy resources to strive to become a core country in the global value chain.

Goo mentioned that South Korea will invest 150 billion U.S. dollars in the American shipbuilding industry, and should work with the U.S. to build a top-tier global shipbuilding industry.

At the same time, he revealed that relevant ministries and agencies will jointly develop follow-up measures, including the "Global Shipbuilding Value Chain Formation Strategy." He said, "I only worry about one country, but if we want to win against that country, it's best to unite with the U.S., and next year we will focus our growth strategy in this direction."

Regarding the 200 billion U.S. dollar investment promised by South Korea to the U.S., he pointed out that the U.S. focuses on areas such as semiconductors, energy, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology. The South Korean side should actively propose cooperation projects to seize the global value chain of future emerging growth drivers. He added, "If funds are still insufficient, I will actively consult with various ministries within the framework of not violating the basic principle of separation between industry and finance."

In February this year, a survey report released by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP) stated that by 2024, China has surpassed South Korea in all key areas of semiconductor technology.

The institute conducted a survey among 39 experts in related fields in South Korea. The results showed that as of last year, South Korea's fundamental strength in all semiconductor areas lagged behind China. If the level of the world's most advanced technology is set at 100%, South Korea's score in high integration, low-resistance memory chip technology was 90.9%, lower than China's 94.1%, ranking second. In the field of high-performance, low-power artificial intelligence chips, South Korea (84.1%) also fell short of China (88.3%). In other areas such as power semiconductors and next-generation high-performance sensing technology, China is also leading.

Additionally, another survey result showed that South Korea lags behind China in basic, source code, and design areas. From a commercialization perspective, South Korea only leads China in high integration, low-resistance memory chips, and advanced packaging technology.

The Korea Central News Agency reported that the results have caused concerns among relevant parties in South Korea. The report shows that the prospects for South Korea's semiconductor market are not bright. The rise of Japan and China, U.S. sanctions, and the growth of the Southeast Asian market have brought uncertainties to the industry.

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer Net. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7574652603569668623/

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