Trump considers withdrawing funds from the Semiconductor Act to support rare earth minerals, refusing to pay Samsung.
The U.S. Donald Trump administration is considering using at least $2 billion (approximately 2.8 trillion won) of the budget related to the Semiconductor Act to support key mineral projects, Reuters reported on the 21st (local time).
To reduce dependence on China for key minerals, including rare earth elements, and strengthen the U.S. supply chain, the U.S. will allocate a portion of funds appropriated by Congress under the Semiconductor Act to support semiconductor research and the construction of semiconductor factories to key mineral projects. This will allow the U.S. to pursue its key minerals program without requiring congressional budget approval, Reuters reported.
Japanese semiconductor materials company TOK breaks ground on Pyeongtaek plant, investing 101 billion won.
Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK), a global company in the semiconductor core materials field, held a groundbreaking ceremony on the 20th at the Poseung (BIX) Industrial Complex in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and began construction of a manufacturing plant.
TOK Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. will invest 101 billion won to build a high-purity chemical product and photoresist manufacturing facility on approximately 55,000 square meters in the Poseung Industrial Complex by July of next year. Photoresist is a key semiconductor material used to draw circuits on silicon wafers.
Taesung acquires KRW 8.6 billion worth of composite copper foil materials and copper plating equipment plant.
Taesung, a company specializing in wet equipment for printed circuit boards (PCBs) and semiconductor substrates, announced on the 21st that it had purchased a factory located in the Banwol Industrial Complex in Ansan for 8.6 billion won.
A company official said, “We continued to discuss with relevant agencies to obtain a permit for the plating process at the Cheonan New Plant, but due to issues with environmental pollution, we concluded that obtaining a permit would be difficult, so we decided to purchase a plating plant within the Banwol Industrial Complex.”
The official added, “The plant will cover a land area of 1,200 pyeong and a total floor area of 1,450 pyeong, and will be used to improve equipment for composite copper foil for secondary batteries, produce materials, and test copper plating equipment for semiconductors.”
Hanul Materials Science to Foster HBM Advanced Packaging Materials Business
Hanul Materials Science announced on the 20th that it is fostering high bandwidth memory (HBM) advanced packaging materials as a next-generation core growth engine.
According to the company, Hanul Materials Science has selected advanced packaging materials for hybrid bonding, a technology currently held by Japanese companies, as a strategic product. These materials are currently considered the most optimal material for hybrid bonding, boasting excellent heat resistance, insulation, and low moisture content.
The company plans to gradually build production facilities at its new Sejong plant, along with securing specialized personnel. Considering the high technological barriers to entry for its products, the company also plans to establish a cooperative system with major corporations.
Samyang expands its high-value-added portfolio, including semiconductors and battery materials.
Kim Yoon, Chairman of Samyang Group, said at the group management strategy meeting “2025 Samyang Connect” held at the Samyang Discovery Center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 19th, “Future growth will be centered on advanced technology industries,” and “We will expand our portfolio to specialty businesses used in semiconductor batteries, etc.”
Samyang Group (based on Samyang Holdings consolidated figures) recorded sales of KRW 1.7734 trillion and operating profit of KRW 74.6 billion in the first half of this year. Compared to the previous year’s sales of KRW 1.7885 trillion and operating profit of KRW 90 billion, these figures represent decreases of 0.8% and 17.1%, respectively.
Entegris to Invest Additional $700 Million in U.S. Semiconductor R&D
Entegris is investing an additional $700 million (approximately KRW 980 billion) in semiconductor research and development (R&D) in the United States. On the 21st (local time), Entegris announced plans to establish a “US Technology Center” in Aurora, Illinois.
This investment will be made across Entegris’ core business units, including “Material Solutions” and “Advanced Purity Solutions.” The company plans to maximize the performance and accelerate time to market for key product lines, including “Deposition Materials,” “Slurries,” “Cleaning Process Chemicals,” and “Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) Pads.”
Hyundai Mobis Achieves Highest International Standard for Automotive Semiconductor R&D Process
Hyundai Mobis’ automotive semiconductor R&D process has achieved the highest level of ISO 26262 certification, the international functional safety standard. Hyundai Mobis plans to actively share these achievements and expertise with key partners and take the lead in expanding the domestic automotive semiconductor ecosystem.
Hyundai Mobis announced on the 21st that it has acquired ISO 26262 certification from Exida, a German-based company with global expertise in automotive functional safety and cybersecurity. ISO 26262 is an international standard for preventing safety accidents in automotive electrical and electronic systems, and has been applied to automotive semiconductors since 2018.
Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors are partnering with three K-battery companies to develop electric vehicle safety technology.
Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK On (the three battery companies) announced the results of their collaboration over the past year at the Hyundai Motor Company-Kia Namyang Research Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province on the 22nd and signed the ‘Hyundai Motor Company-Kia Battery Companies, Business Agreement to Strengthen Battery Safety’.
This collaboration began based on a shared understanding among executives at each company that Korean companies, leaders in global electric vehicle technology, should join forces. Last August, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors proposed forming a “Battery Safety Task Force” (TFT) to bring together personnel from all departments, including R&D, production, quality, and patents. The three battery companies responded, and they have been working closely together for a year.
POSCO FutureM Develops Two Types of Cathode Materials for Premium and Standard Electric Vehicles
POSCO Future M, a secondary battery materials company, announced on the 21st that it has successfully developed two types of pilot cathode materials targeting the premium and standard electric vehicle markets.
The “Ultra High-Nickel Cathode Material,” targeted at premium electric vehicles, increases the nickel content of high-nickel cathodes from the existing 80% range to over 95%. With its high energy density, this material can maximize the driving range of electric vehicles, and the goal is to supply it to advanced markets such as the US and Europe for high-end electric vehicles and urban air mobility (UAM). While high nickel content can lead to lower thermal stability and shorter battery life, Ultra High-Nickel Cathode Material overcomes these shortcomings by combining “single-crystal materials,” which combine key raw materials into a single particle structure, with existing “polycrystalline materials.”
Toyota launches electric car in Thailand, countering China’s Southeast Asian offensive.
According to Nikkei Asia, the English edition of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and other sources, Toyota launched the Yaris Ativ hybrid sedan model in Thailand the previous day. Assembled at the company’s Chachoengsao plant, the Yaris Ativ is priced at 729,000 baht (approximately 31.3 million won), making it the most affordable hybrid car in Thailand. Toyota has set a sales target of 20,000 units in the first year and also plans exports to neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
Toyota is also launching the bZ4X electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) in Thailand. Imported from Japan, it will be priced at approximately 1.5 million baht (approximately 64.4 million won). Toyota previously introduced the bZ4X in Thailand in 2022, but sales were halted due to supply issues.
Global electric vehicle battery production capacity this year will exceed demand by 3.4 times… Oversupply continues.
The Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported on the 21st that there is a global overproduction of electric vehicle batteries. It analyzed that supply is 3.4 times greater than demand.
The newspaper analyzed data from the U.S. research firm S&P Global Mobility and found that global electric vehicle battery factory production capacity this year reached a total of 3,930 GWh (gigawatt hours), approximately 3.4 times the 1,161 GWh demand.
The newspaper noted that supply will exceed demand by three times next year. It is projected to reach 2.4 times by 2030.
Greenergy to Build Large-Scale LTO Battery Production Plant in the UK
Greenergy, a domestic secondary battery specialist, announced on the 22nd that it has begun design work to establish a large-scale LTO (lithium titanate) battery factory in Dundee, Scotland, through ‘Titanvolt’, a joint venture established with a British partner.
Dundee is home to the headquarters of DC Thomson, a Scottish company with over 100 years of history. The factory, located on the DC Thomson Kingsway site, will include LTO cell manufacturing facilities, battery pack assembly space, and a logistics hub.
LTO batteries are significantly safer than conventional lithium-ion batteries and have the advantages of rapid charging and long life.
Porsche to liquidate battery subsidiary… “Pushing to sell factory”
On the 20th (local time), German media outlets such as Der Spiegel reported that Porsche had notified the labor office of its restructuring plan, deciding to lay off approximately 200 of its 286 Selfoss employees, excluding research and development personnel. The Selfoss plant in Kirchentelinsfurt, southwestern Germany, is being put up for sale, and BMW and defense companies that manufacture drones are showing interest in the plant, Der Spiegel reported.
Porsche established Cellphos, a joint venture with German battery manufacturer CustomCell, aiming to produce its own electric vehicle batteries by 2021. It then expanded its battery production by acquiring a full stake in Cellphos in 2023. However, despite investing billions of euros, the company failed to develop a mass-producible battery, resulting in losses.
Blue Oval SK begins commercial battery production in the US, seeking external customers.
Blue Oval SK, a joint venture between SK On and Ford Motor Company for electric vehicle batteries, has begun full-scale commercial battery production. On the 19th (local time), Blue Oval SK held an event to celebrate its first commercial production at its Kentucky Plant 1.
The plant produces approximately 37 GWh of batteries annually, supplying them to Ford’s electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, and the electric cargo van, the E-Transit. Blue Oval SK is currently seeking external customers to purchase the batteries produced at the Kentucky plant. Customer diversification is crucial to increasing plant utilization rates amid slowing demand for electric vehicles in the US. Ford’s electric vehicle sales fell nearly 10% from January to July of this year compared to the same period last year.
US transportation authorities launch investigation into Tesla, citing delays in reporting autonomous vehicle accidents.
On the 21st (local time), the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) began an investigation into Tesla’s compliance with accident reporting regulations related to autonomous driving and advanced driving assistance systems on the 19th.
The regulation, Standing General Order (SGO) 2021-01, requires manufacturers and others to report accidents involving vehicles equipped with autonomous driving systems (ADS) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to authorities within a certain period of time.
“Most of the incidents reported by Tesla were reported within one or five days of Tesla receiving notification of the incident under SGO regulations at the time,” the agency said. “However, a review of numerous reports submitted by Tesla revealed that the incidents occurred months prior to the reporting date.”
NVIDIA also invested in a self-driving startup that SoBang invested in.
The Financial Times (FT) reported on the 21st (local time) that American autonomous driving technology startup Nuro has closed a $203 million (approximately 280 billion won) investment round with participation from Nvidia, Uber, and others.
According to the company, its corporate value was valued at $6 billion (approximately KRW 8.36 trillion). Headquartered in California, Nuro was founded in 2016 by two engineers, including Ferguson, who had worked on Google’s self-driving car project. In 2019, it received investment from Japan’s SoftBank.
Autonomous A2Z unveils its self-driving Kia PV5 at the APEC summit.
Autonomous A2Z announced on the 21st that it has signed a partnership with Kia regarding the supply of vehicles for the production of Level 4 autonomous vehicles.
Kia’s multi-purpose vehicles (PBVs) are customized transportation vehicles tailored to customer usage needs, and mass production began at the Hwaseong plant in July. A2G will convert the first model, the PV5, into a Level 4 autonomous vehicle. Leveraging its expertise in operating the largest fleet of 55 autonomous vehicles in Korea and its autonomous driving technology, ranked 11th globally by the U.S. market research firm Guidehouse earlier this year, A2G plans to produce a Level 4 autonomous vehicle based on the PV5. After securing government certification, it will deploy it in domestic and international autonomous driving projects.
Viewrun Technology’s IPO begins in earnest… Mirae Asset Securities is the lead underwriter.
Viewrun Technology, a company specializing in LiDAR solutions for autonomous driving and smart infrastructure, announced on the 20th that it has selected Mirae Asset Securities as the lead manager for its initial public offering (IPO) process and has begun full-scale preparations for listing.
Founded in 2019, Viewrun Technology develops and supplies software that analyzes 3D data from lidar sensors, classifies objects, and provides key information such as location, size, and speed through its proprietary AI-based lidar perception solution.
“If this continues, we’ll all be pushed out by China”… Korean TV cries out in crisis.
According to industry sources on the 20th, LG Electronics will implement voluntary retirement programs exclusively for its Microsoft division. This appears to be a plan to swiftly respond to growing management uncertainty stemming from workforce reductions. The program targets employees aged 50 and older and underperforming employees. Those who take voluntary retirement will receive a severance payment equivalent to up to three years’ salary and will also receive financial support for their children’s education.
The MS division’s second-quarter sales fell 13.5% year-on-year to KRW 4.3934 trillion. It recorded an operating loss of KRW 191.7 billion, swinging to a deficit. LG Electronics explained, “Profitability was impacted by decreased TV sales due to declining market demand, as well as price cuts and increased marketing expenses to address intensifying competition.”
Justem wins additional overseas orders for OLED static electricity removal equipment.
Justem announced on the 19th that it had signed a contract to supply approximately 100 high-vacuum ionizer systems to Chinese display company A.
The high-vacuum ionizer system controls static electricity generated during the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) process in real time, thereby increasing panel yield. Justem officially launched the system after securing the core technology following a three-year research and development process beginning in 2021. It holds over 50 related patents, including pending and registered patents. In recognition of this technological prowess, Justem received the Jang Yeong-sil Award, the highest honor for research and development, in 2024.
Toprun and Memslux Partner on Automotive LCD Backlights
TopRun Total Solutions announced on the 18th that it has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Memslux for the joint development and production of functional backlight modules. The two companies will jointly establish a high-value-added mass production system for backlights used in automotive liquid crystal display (LCD) displays and develop customized technologies.
The gist of the deal is that Memslux will oversee optical simulation and mold design, while Toprun will be responsible for mass production, including light guide plate injection and backlight module assembly.
Source: kipost.net