Lotte Chemical Group’s Handuck Chemical Breaks Ground at Pyeongtaek Plant… Producing Semiconductor Developer
Handuck Chemical, an affiliate of Lotte Chemical Group, announced on the 19th that it held a groundbreaking ceremony for a semiconductor and display developer (TMAH, tetramethylammonium hydroxide) production plant in Pyeongtaek Poseung District, Gyeonggi Province.
TMAH is a core material essential for the development process that forms fine circuit patterns in semiconductor and display manufacturing, and currently, only Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States are capable of producing high-purity semiconductor developers.
Handuck Chemical, the only domestic and global No. 1 manufacturer of semiconductor developers, was established in 1995 as a 50-50 joint venture between Lotte Fine Chemical and Japan’s Tokuyama, and since 2020, Lotte Chemical and Tokuyama have held a 50-50 stake.
Trump Officially Announces Intel’s ‘Apple Chip Production’
President Trump announced on his social media platform, TruthSocial, that day, “Apple has decided to collaborate with Intel to design and produce chips in the United States.” He added, “The technology the world relies on was invented in the United States.”
“We all remember ‘Intel Inside,’” he said, adding, “Foolish presidents let Taiwan and other countries steal our semiconductor factories.” He continued, “We design everything, but we also have to produce right here (in the U.S.),” and added, “So we decided to help Intel.”
Amazon Pushes to Sell Its Own AI Chips Externally… Challenging Nvidia’s Dominance
On the 18th (local time), Peter DeSantis, Amazon’s head of AI, stated in an interview in Paris, France, that they have “started discussions with potential customers” and are in negotiations for the external sale of their proprietary AI chip, ‘Trainium.’ However, he did not disclose specific client companies.
Amazon secured major clients such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Uber through its AI accelerator chip, Traneum, which was first introduced in 2020. However, until now, the chip could only be used through Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Hansol Technics Completes Acquisition of Will Technology… “Strengthening Semiconductor Value Chain”
Hansol Technics, an electrical and electronic components specialist affiliate of Hansol Group, announced on the 17th that it has completed the acquisition of Will Technology, a semiconductor inspection components specialist.
On this day, Hansol Technics acquired 6,110,544 shares (177.2 billion won) of Will Technology, securing an 83.37% stake and completing the process of incorporating it as a subsidiary.
Will Technology is a company that designs and manufactures ‘probe cards,’ a key component used in the testing process of non-memory system semiconductors.
POSCO Air Solution Completed, Localization of Rare Gases in Semiconductor and Aerospace Industries
POSCO Air Solution, a POSCO Group company specializing in industrial gases, announced on the 17th that it held a ‘high-purity rare gas production plant completion ceremony’ at the Donghoan site of the Gwangyang Steelworks.
POSCO Air Solution produces products by purifying rare gases extracted from POSCO’s oxygen plant as the primary raw material. Recognizing the utilization of rare gases in the semiconductor and aerospace sectors, POSCO established a dedicated organization for related new businesses in 2021 and expanded it into the Industrial Gas Division in 2023, preparing for phased market entry. With the completion of this facility, the localization of key materials for semiconductors and aerospace applications, which have previously relied entirely on imports, has become possible.
JNTC Develops Global First 2.0mmT Glass Substrate for TGV
JNTC announced on the 19th that it has succeeded in developing a high-difficulty TGV glass substrate with a glass thickness of 2.0 mmT for the first time in the world.
According to JNTC, the company now possesses a multi-lineup of glass thicknesses ranging from a minimum of 0.3 mmT to a maximum of 2.0 mmT. Verification has been completed with some Taiwanese and Korean substrate manufacturers, and verification is currently underway with Japanese material manufacturers. Furthermore, development of a 3.0 mmT glass thickness product has already begun without any intermediate steps for the next-generation new product.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Pressures ASML… “Concerns Over Possibility of Cutting-Edge Semiconductor Equipment Being Smuggled to China”
Bloomberg reported on the 18th (local time) that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Rutnick expressed concern that state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing equipment from Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer ASML may have been shipped to China in violation of U.S. export restrictions.
According to Bloomberg, Secretary Rutnick expressed these concerns to ASML’s senior management during several meetings.
The equipment that Secretary Rutnick took issue with is EUV lithography (extreme ultraviolet exposure) equipment used to draw extremely fine circuits on wafers.
Hyundai Motor Group Nears 1.5 Million Hybrid Units in U.S.
According to the automotive industry on the 16th, Hyundai Motor Group’s cumulative sales of hybrid vehicles (HEV) in the U.S. as of May were approximately 1.487 million units, and it is likely to surpass 1.5 million units this month.
Hyundai Motor Group began selling hybrid models in the U.S. market in 2011, starting with the Sonata Hybrid and K5 Hybrid, and has steadily increased sales by introducing new models. Cumulative hybrid sales surpassed 500,000 units in 2022 and 1 million units in 2025.
At the center of growth are RV models. It has been found that 65% (970,000 units), or more than six out of ten, of Hyundai Motor Group hybrid vehicles sold in the U.S. since 2011 are RV models.
Chaebi and KT Advance AI-based EV Charging Service
CHAEVI (CEO Choi Young-hoon), the leading domestic operator of electric vehicle (EV) rapid charging infrastructure, is partnering with KT to advance its AI-based charging systems and customer services. The strategy is to further enhance the competitiveness of its AI-based EV charging platform through comprehensive collaboration, ranging from charging station management to payment services and the launch of exclusive products.
This collaboration centers on ▲strengthening AI-based customer service and improving operational efficiency, ▲expanding payment infrastructure and joint marketing, and ▲promoting charging infrastructure businesses as well as smart city and public bidding projects. The plan is to combine Chaebi’s charging service capabilities with KT’s AI and telecommunications technologies to simultaneously enhance user convenience and on-site management efficiency.
Enchem Forecasts Double Growth in ‘China Electrolyte Sales’… Increases Supply to Local Battery Companies
Enchem, a company specializing in electrolytes, is drawing attention by expanding its electrolyte supply to major Chinese battery manufacturers. The company forecasts that electrolyte sales in China this year will more than double compared to last year.
According to Enchem on the 19th, the company’s electrolyte sales in China last year amounted to approximately 32,000 tons. Based on the company’s internal business plan, sales this year are expected to more than double compared to the previous year.
Enchem’s customer expansion strategy is leading to increased supply cooperation with major battery manufacturers such as CATL, AESC, SVOLT, Zhongqi Xineng, and Lishen.
SFA Nexel Signs NDA with European Battery Cell Manufacturer
SFA Nexel announced on the 18th that it has signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with a cell manufacturer pursuing a battery production project in Europe. The two companies plan to review the possibility of technology and business cooperation in the supply of electrode process equipment and next-generation battery process solutions.
SFA Nexel plans to seek opportunities to participate in new projects based on its experience in building battery production lines and core electrode process equipment such as coaters, calenders, and slitters. It also intends to expand the scope of cooperation in next-generation process solutions, such as dry electrodes and all-solid-state batteries.
Korea Zinc Accelerates Self-Reliance in Core Minerals and Battery Technology… Conducts 6 Government R&D Projects
Korea Zinc is expanding research and development (R&D) projects linked to national supply chains, including key minerals, battery materials, hydrogen, and rare earth elements. The aim is to secure proprietary technology in materials sectors with high external dependence and to respond to the stabilization of supply chains in advanced industries.
Korea Zinc announced on the 18th that it is currently carrying out six government-supported research and development projects in collaboration with industry, academia, and research institutions.
The project areas include green hydrogen storage and transportation, waste battery resource recovery, high-purity nickel sulfate manufacturing, rare earth processing, composite copper foil manufacturing, and high-manganese precursor development. All of these are material technologies related to advanced industries such as batteries, semiconductors, electric vehicles, and energy.
ISU Specialty Chemical “Completion of Lithium Sulfide Plant for Solid-State Batteries”
ISU Specialty Chemical announced on the 18th that the lithium sulfide (Li₂S) commercialization plant, which began construction last August, was completed ahead of schedule.
According to the company, the plant was designed with an initial annual production capacity of 150 tons and built to be expandable up to 500 tons in line with future market demand. The company explained that this is a preemptive strategy to manage the investment burden in stages in line with the growth rate of the all-solid-state battery market, while simultaneously rapidly expanding production capacity when demand picks up.
LFP Cathode Materials Account for 72% of Global Shipments… “Leading the Battery Materials Market”
According to SNE Research on the 17th, global demand for lithium-ion battery (LIB) cathode materials was 4.79 million tons and shipments were 4.95 million tons last year, an increase of 42% and 34%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
LFP accounted for 3.47 million tons, or 72% of total shipments. On the other hand, the share of ternary cathode materials remained at 28%.
In the overall ranking of cathode material shipments by manufacturer, China’s Hunan Yuneng took first place with 1,137,000 tons shipped.
Mars Auto and LX Pantos Expand US Autonomous Routes
Masumoto announced on the 19th that it is expanding its transcontinental autonomous cargo transport route in the United States to round-trip operations with global integrated logistics company LX Pantos.
The two companies have configured a round-trip route by transporting Hyundai Mobis’s automotive parts cargo on the section moving from the West Coast to the East Coast of the United States, and construction material cargo from domestic manufacturers on the return trip from the East Coast to the West Coast. This marks a new step forward in the long-distance autonomous cargo transportation business that has been promoted by Korean startups, large corporations, and the government. Through this collaboration, Mars Auto and LX Pantos have expanded their cross-country autonomous cargo transportation routes across the United States from 3,500 km one-way to 7,000 km round-trip.
Etipos Selected as ‘Free Icon’ by Korea Credit Guarantee Fund… Development of V2X Semiconductors and Defense Communication Chips Gains Momentum
Etipos, a company specializing in autonomous driving V2X (vehicle-to-object communication) semiconductors, announced on the 19th that it was selected on the 18th as a guaranteed company for the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund’s innovation startup nurturing program, ‘Pre-ICON’.
With this selection, Etipos will receive a comprehensive support package from the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund, including guarantee support worth up to 7 billion won over the next three years, review of direct investment, reduction of guarantee fees, management consulting, and financial linkage.
FreeICON is a flagship program operated by the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund to discover and nurture promising startups with the potential to grow into Innovation Icon (ICON) companies.
Megazone and Techman Robot Collaborate on Robot Education and Technology
Megazone, the parent company of Megazone Cloud, announced on the 19th that it signed a ‘business agreement for AI robot education, training and technology’ with Techman Robot at the Megazone Industry-Academic Research Center in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do on the 18th.
Through this agreement, the two companies will jointly operate a practical training program utilizing Techman Robot’s collaborative robots. They also plan to explore opportunities for cooperation to build a physical AI and humanoid ecosystem in the domestic market.
SPG Files Patent for ‘AI-Based Fault-Tolerant Control’ for Humanoid Robot Joints
SPG, a company specializing in precision reducers and motors, announced on the 18th that it has filed a patent for ‘AI (artificial intelligence) fault diagnosis and active fault-tolerant control’ for humanoid robot joints.
This patent describes a technology in which a robot joint autonomously diagnoses the type and location of a malfunction. Additionally, it includes a function that prevents the robot from collapsing by distributing the load to adjacent joints when a problem occurs in one.
China Announces ‘AI + Consumption’ Promotion Plan… Expansion of Humanoid Robots and Smart Homes
The Chinese government has announced a policy to spread AI technology across consumption, making artificial intelligence (AI) a key driving force for boosting domestic demand.
The plan is to boost consumption by integrating AI into all aspects of daily life, extending beyond smartphones and home appliances to include humanoid robots, elderly care, education, and tourism.
On the 18th, eight ministries including China’s Ministry of Commerce released the “Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Development of AI+Consumption” (hereinafter referred to as the Opinions) and presented 17 measures to expand the consumption of AI products and stimulate the consumption of services.
“OLED Demand to Boost 20% in Second Half”… Samsung and LG Outpace China
According to market research firm Omdia on the 19th, shipments of large-area OLEDs in the second half of this year are expected to reach 22.4 million units, a 20% increase compared to the same period last year. Large-area OLEDs are flat panel displays ranging in size from 10 to 130 inches and are used in TVs, monitors, laptops, and tablets larger than 9 inches.
IT devices other than smartphones are primarily equipped with inexpensive LCD panels. However, the adoption of OLEDs is rapidly increasing due to the recent rise in demand for premium performance, such as high resolution and refresh rates that provide smooth image quality.
Graphene Square Signs MOU with SND Display
Graphene Square and SN Display announced on the 13th that they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the commercialization and joint research and development of core components and materials for next-generation displays and solar cells by combining the core technologies and production infrastructure of both companies to secure technological competitiveness in the future advanced materials market and establish a foundation for product commercialization.
Graphene Square is a company specializing in graphene materials that has established a mass production plant for large-area CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) graphene. CEO Hong Byung-hee is recognized as a world-renowned authority in the field of graphene synthesis and application, and is regarded as a figure who has spearheaded the industrialization of graphene research.
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