Yoon to Boost Microchip Cooperation with Netherlands

President Yoon Suk-yeol heads to the Netherlands on Monday for a five-day state visit. Yoon earlier told AFP news agency that he plans to “significantly boost semiconductor cooperation with such major countries as the Netherlands, the United States and Japan going forward.” 

His itinerary includes a visit to Dutch semiconductor manufacturing equipment maker ASML.

“As competition between countries and regions intensifies to gain hegemony over emerging technologies, the semiconductor industry is strategically more important than ever before, which makes this visit to the Netherlands especially meaningful,” he added.

“Semiconductors are the linchpin of Korea-Netherlands cooperation.” 

Yoon visits ASML headquarters in Veldhoven on Tuesday accompanied by Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong and other Korean business leaders. ASML is the only company that makes photolithography equipment using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology, without which it is impossible to manufacture precision semiconductors. 

Korea for its part accounts for around 60 percent of global semiconductor supply, and industry watchers expect huge benefits from collaboration between the two countries.