Samsung, LG tout Korea’s AI manufacturing edge at Nano Korea 2026 - Chosunbiz

At the 2026 Nano Korea exhibition, South Korean semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics and LG Group showcased their competitive edge in AI manufacturing. Hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry an... Read original →

South Korea’s semiconductor leaders are shifting from chip-centric rivalry to integrated AI manufacturing ecosystems. Samsung’s showcase of 2nm GAA and HBM4E not only reinforces its process-memory co-optimization edge but also pressures upstream suppliers to accelerate adoption of advanced packaging enablers like TGV and LDI—technologies poised to redefine interposer and substrate supply chains. LG Group’s focus on equipment and materials signals a strategic pivot away from foundry commoditization toward the advanced packaging battleground. Yet persistent U.S. export controls on EUV and EDA tools impose hidden cost risks due to Seoul’s high dependency. TSMC (Taiwan, China) will likely counter by scaling CoWoS capacity and deepening alliances with U.S.-Japan material consortia, while SK hynix may be forced to recalibrate its HBM roadmap. Over the next 18 months, AI chip leadership will hinge on manufacturing resilience; without breakthroughs in non-U.S. tool validation and domestic material purity, Korea’s AI fabrication narrative may fail to translate into sustainable market share gains.