US Commerce Secretary Raymond: “All semiconductor law subsidies to be paid during term”
The Joe Biden administration is speeding up efforts to finalize subsidies under the Chips Act within its term. As President-elect Donald Trump has criticized the Chips Act subsidies as a “bad deal,” this is interpreted as a move to ensure that subsidies allocated to companies are paid out as much as possible before the next administration begins.
Negotiations between Korean companies that have decided to invest in the U.S., such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, and the U.S. for subsidies have not yet been finalized.
Commerce Secretary Gina Lamondo (pictured) told Politico, a U.S. political media outlet, on the 20th (local time), “The goal is to pay out all (promised) subsidies before the end of this administration’s term.”
SKC Subsidiary Absolix Receives $100 Million in Semiconductor R&D Subsidy in the US
SKC’s semiconductor glass substrate subsidiary Absolix will receive a research and development (R&D) subsidy worth 100 million dollars (approximately 140 billion won) from the U.S. government.
According to industry sources on the 22nd, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced on the 21st (local time) that it had selected the Absolix Consortium as one of the recipients of an R&D grant in the advanced substrate field of the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP) under the Semiconductor Support Act.
The Department of Commerce announced that it is “initiating negotiations to invest up to $300 million in advanced packaging research projects in Georgia, California, and Arizona to accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies essential to the semiconductor industry.” The selected consortium is Absolix, Applied Materials (California), and Arizona State University (Arizona), each receiving $100 million.
“Huawei to mass produce new AI chip to compete with Nvidia in Q1 next year”
Huawei, China’s largest telecommunications equipment company, plans to start mass producing new AI chips in the first quarter of next year to compete with Nvidia, the leader in artificial intelligence (AI) graphics processing units (GPUs), Reuters reported on the 21st.
“Huawei has started sending samples of the ‘Ascend 910C’ (Chinese name: Shengteng 910C) to some IT companies and is taking orders,” two sources told Reuters.
Huawei previously told potential customers that “the performance of the 910C is comparable to that of the NVIDIA H100 chip (the most recent commercially available AI chip).”
However, it is reported that the 910C produced by SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation), China’s largest foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing), is having yield issues.
Japanese government provides 1.8 trillion won in support to domestic semiconductor company Rapidus
The Japanese government is planning to invest a new 200 billion yen (approximately 1.8048 trillion won) in support of domestic semiconductor company Rapidus, which aims to manufacture cutting-edge semiconductors, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported on the 21st.
It was confirmed that the plan presented by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to ruling party members included such support measures for fiscal 2025 (April 2025 to March 2026).
A total of 5 trillion yen (approximately 45.121 trillion won) is needed to start mass production, and a total of 920 billion yen (approximately 8.2923 trillion won) in subsidies have been decided so far. Securing the remaining 4 trillion yen (approximately 36.968 trillion won) in funds is the key.
The Japanese government aims to submit a bill in the 2025 regular session of the Diet that would allow government-affiliated organizations to provide debt guarantees or investments in Rapidus. This policy will also be included in the economic measures that will be put together soon.
OCI to supply semiconductor phosphoric acid to DB HiTek
OCI announced on the 20th that it will begin supplying semiconductor phosphoric acid to DB HiTek’s Bucheon plant, a domestic semiconductor foundry specialist, starting this month.
Following its selection as the first domestic manufacturer to supply semiconductor phosphoric acid to SK Hynix in August, OCI has once again been recognized for the quality and competitiveness of its semiconductor phosphoric acid by successfully securing an additional order from DB HiTek.
Since starting the semiconductor phosphoric acid business in 2007, OCI has been producing 25,000 tons of phosphoric acid annually at its Gunsan plant, steadily supplying products to domestic semiconductor chipmakers such as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and SK Key Foundry. The semiconductor phosphoric acid produced by OCI is an essential material for the wafer etching process in the semiconductor manufacturing process, and plays a critical role in precisely removing unnecessary parts of the wafer to form circuits.
Hyosung TNC “Received and reviewed inquiry on acquisition of Hyosung Chemical’s special gas business”
Hyosung TNC announced on the 22nd that it has received an inquiry from Hyosung Chemical regarding its special gas business unit and is reviewing it internally. The special gas business unit is a division that produces nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), which is used in the semiconductor and display manufacturing processes.
Hyosung Chemical pursued the sale of its special gas business unit to improve its financial structure. Last July, it selected Stick Investment and IMM Private Equity Consortium as preferred negotiating partners and conducted sale negotiations, but the deal ultimately fell through.
‘SK Indirect Investment’ Japan’s Kioxia to be listed in mid-December… Market cap expected to be 6.8 trillion won
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported on the 21st that Kioxia Holdings (formerly Toshiba Memory), a Japanese memory semiconductor NAND flash manufacturer in which SK Hynix has indirectly invested, will be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in the middle of next month.
According to reports, Kioxia is expected to receive listing approval from the Tokyo Stock Exchange the following day, the 22nd. The expected market capitalization is estimated at 750 billion yen (approximately 6.8 trillion won), which is far below the initial target of 1.5 trillion yen or more. However, it is judged that the memory market will improve from 2025 due to demand for data centers for artificial intelligence (AI).
Kioxia will raise up to 99.1 billion yen through the listing. Kioxia previously applied for a listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on August 23, but later postponed it.
‘Europe’s Hope’ Battery Company Northvolt Files for Bankruptcy in US
Sweden’s Northvolt, Europe’s largest battery manufacturing startup and once considered a competitor to Chinese battery manufacturers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, the New York Times (NYT) and the Financial Times (FT) reported on the 21st (local time).
Northvolt announced in a bankruptcy filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas that as of that day, it had only $30 million (about 42 billion won) in cash remaining, barely enough to operate for a week. It also added that it had $5.8 billion (about 8 trillion won) in debt.
Honda to Build All-Solid-State Battery Pilot Production Line… Starts Operation in January Next Year
On the 21st (local time), Honda announced that it had built a pilot production line that replicates the process required for mass production of all-solid-state batteries at its R&D site in Sakura City, Tochigi Prefecture.
The line covers an area of 27,400㎡ (approximately 8,300 pyeong) and is equipped with facilities and equipment to verify each production process, including ▲electrode material weighing and mixing ▲electrode assembly coating and roll pressing ▲cell formation and module assembly.
Honda plans to begin production on a pilot production line in January next year, verifying mass production technology and costs for each process, and developing battery cell specifications in parallel.
CATL to launch waste battery recycling business in Europe
According to Bloomberg News on the 20th (local time), CATL is discussing new facility sites with several European governments, including Hungary.
“Our new battery cell manufacturing plant under construction in Hungary is expected to start production in the second half of next year,” said Jason Chen, CATL’s head of operations in Europe. “Now that we have a presence there, we hope to establish a closed loop from manufacturing to recycling.”
Closed loop refers to a structure in which resources are circulated to minimize external discharge or waste. In other words, raw materials from used batteries are recovered and used to make new batteries. Analysis suggests that recycling plants are likely to be located near cell factories to shorten the transportation route. CATL also has a cell factory in Germany.
IL Science “New technology for solid-state batteries for space… commercialization speed”
ILScience announced on the 20th that it will “advance commercialization with a new technology for manufacturing large-capacity solid-state batteries using a three-dimensional (3D) current collector” based on its successful implementation of a compact solid-state battery for space use.
The solid-state space battery developed by ILScience in August of last year was found to have functioned normally in temperatures ranging from -20℃ to 120℃ as a result of performance tests, and was found to maintain stability even in a high vacuum environment of 0.66 Pa or less.
Space batteries require differentiated performance that allows them to operate stably in harsh space environments, including a wide temperature range, stability in ultra-high vacuum, and stability when exposed to radiation.
US electric vehicle and battery industry urges Trump to not abolish electric vehicle subsidies
Amid reports that US President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team is pushing to eliminate the electric vehicle tax credit (subsidy) based on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a group comprised of US electric vehicle-related companies has announced its opposition to the idea.
The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), an industry group, said in a statement on the 15th (local time) that the IRA tax credit “has created tremendous job growth and new economic opportunities nationwide,” and “this is especially true in battery belt states (areas with electric vehicle battery factories) such as Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Georgia.”
ZETA’s members include LG, Panasonic, American electric vehicle companies Rivian and Lucid, Tesla, electric vehicle charging company EVgo, and American electric power company Edison.
Japan’s Asahi Kasei to Break Ground on Canadian Membrane Plant, Start Operations in 2027
Japanese battery materials company Asahi Kasei is building a separator plant in Canada. Asahi Kasei recently announced that it held a groundbreaking ceremony for a separator production facility in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. The plant is a joint venture with Honda, and key executives from Asahi Kasei and Honda attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
The separators produced at the Canadian plant will be supplied primarily to Honda electric vehicles. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) previously reported that Asahi Kasei is investing 200 billion yen (approximately 1.8 trillion won) in the Canadian plant.
Asahi Kasei plans to secure an annual membrane production capacity of 700 million square meters (㎡) and begin operations in 2027.
Ford, suffering from electric car troubles, cuts 4,000 European jobs
Ford, which suffered huge losses in its electric vehicle business this year, announced that it would cut 4,000 jobs in Europe. Ford is trying to cut costs amid a difficult situation with increasingly strict environmental regulations in Europe, slow electric vehicle sales, and a surge in cheap Chinese electric vehicles.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Ford announced on the 20th (local time) that it will cut 4,000 jobs, equivalent to 14% of its European workforce, by 2027. It is estimated that 2,900 and 800 people will be laid off in Germany and the UK, respectively, and 300 people will leave other European countries.
Ford previously announced in February last year that it would cut 3,800 jobs in Europe. Ford has European production facilities in Saarland, Germany, Craiova, Romania, and Valencia, Spain, with its European headquarters and assembly plant in Cologne as the center.
Sony ID AI Develops Autonomous Explosives and Mine Detection Robot
Sony AI announced on the 20th that it is developing an explosives and mine detection robot that can automatically patrol dangerous areas using autonomous driving technology in order to enter the overseas anti-terrorism security market.
Sonid AI is reviewing the possibility of technological cooperation with PIAP, a robotics institute under the Polish state-run research institute. PIAP has already formed a partnership with Defense Korea, a Sonid subsidiary, and various forms of cooperation can be discussed in the future depending on the needs of both parties.
The core of this detection robot development is the use of the next-generation explosive and mine detector Apollo (KED-7) using a nano-optical sensor method owned by Sony AI. The company explained that KED-7 has increased the detection rate of metallic and non-metallic landmines by applying nano-optical sensor technology.
Trump Gives Musk Wings… Touches Up Autonomous Driving Regulations
Bloomberg News reported on the 17th (local time) that the Trump administration’s second term will pursue deregulation of autonomous vehicles.
Bloomberg News reported, citing sources, that “President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team plans to make a federal framework for fully autonomous vehicles one of the Department of Transportation’s priorities,” and that “the Department of Transportation is looking for a policymaker to develop a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles.”
Under current federal regulations, fully autonomous vehicles without steering wheels or pedals are not easily approved for mass production and operation. Last month, Musk announced that he would mass-produce driverless robotaxis starting in 2026, but without regulatory changes, Musk’s plans are unlikely to come to fruition.
Itronics succeeds in demonstration test of future autonomous driving technology C-ITS
Itronics, a subsidiary of ILScience, announced on the 19th that it successfully completed the ‘Next-generation Intelligent Transport System (C-ITS) Communication Technology Verification Test Environment Construction Project’ for future autonomous driving technology hosted by the Korea Expressway Corporation.
The performance comparison test was conducted in various environments, including ▲maximum effective communication range ▲communication delay time ▲maximum communication performance in congested conditions ▲communication effectiveness in tunnels ▲basic service verification on non-public roads and public roads. Itronics participated in this test to prove the technological excellence of LTE-V2X, further advance the core autonomous driving technology, and secure competitiveness.
Chinese autonomous driving company Pony.ai to be listed on NASDAQ on the 21st
Chinese autonomous driving company Pony.ai will be listed on the Nasdaq on the 21st, Chinese media outlet ITzia reported on the 18th, citing IPO Boutique. Following the listing of Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide on the Nasdaq on the 25th of last month, this is another robotaxi company entering the U.S. stock market.
The maximum amount of funds that Pony.ai can raise in this IPO is $375 million (approximately KRW 523.5 billion), and based on the issuance of 383.5 million shares at $13 per share, the company’s value in this IPO is estimated to be close to $5 billion (approximately KRW 6.98 trillion). Pony.ai plans to use approximately 40% of the funds from this IPO to commercialize autonomous transportation services and cargo services, including production, sales, and transportation.
SOS Lab Wins CES Innovation Award for Next-Generation LiDAR Product
SOS Lab announced on the 18th that its next-generation ultra-high-performance lidar product, ‘ML-U’, was selected for the ‘CES 2025’ Innovation Award.
The ML-U from SOS Lab, which won this time, is a 3D fixed lidar for autonomous vehicles specializing in precision detection. The differentiating factor of ML-U compared to other products is that it can generate not only depth information but also color information. The company explained that it generates lidar data that looks like it was taken by a ‘camera’ through its own colorization technology based on deep learning.
Seoul Semiconductor Sunlike penetrates global leading automobile brands
Seoul Semiconductor announced on the 22nd that it has developed the ‘SunLike’ automotive exterior inspection lighting together with German special lighting company Broll. Leading global automobile brands are adopting SunLike lighting technology to conduct inspections on the shipping lines of mass production plants.
Seoul Semiconductor explained, “Global leading automobile brands have adopted SunLike lighting that implements a natural light spectrum to help inspectors better check minute paint defects on automobiles at final shipment inspection sites and to protect the inspectors’ eyesight.”
Researcher who smuggled display manufacturing core technology to China goes on trial
The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office’s Cyber Crime Investigation Department (Chief Sim Hyeong-seok) announced on the 21st that it had indicted and arrested Mr. A (57), a former senior researcher at a major domestic company, on charges of violating the Industrial Technology Protection Act and the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.
According to the prosecution, Mr. A took unauthorized photos of 17 trade secrets related to display manufacturing automation technology of Company S, where he was employed, between March and April 2021. He is accused of sending some of these materials to executives and employees of the Chinese company he transferred to in November of the same year.
Person A, who was in charge of the sale of S Company’s Chinese corporation, secretly negotiated a transfer with the Chinese company. He also requested, “I am sensitive to technology leaks,” and “Please do not let the fact that I transferred become known.” When he was investigated, it was found that he shared this with the Chinese company and agreed to receive compensation for attorney fees.
“BOE, Samsung Display Patent Infringement” US ITC, 1st Conclusion
The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has made a preliminary decision (first conclusion) that China’s BOE infringed on Samsung Display’s OLED (organic light-emitting diode) patents.
According to industry sources on the 18th, the ITC made a preliminary decision on the 15th (local time) that “BOE used (infringed) three Samsung Display patents without permission, and the US importer/wholesale company used (infringed) four Samsung Display patents without permission.” A preliminary decision is not yet a final ruling, but refers to the administrative judge in charge making a preliminary conclusion. The committee reviews this preliminary decision and decides whether to approve it.
Samsung Display is expected to gain an advantageous position in many patent disputes by acknowledging BOE’s patent infringement in this preliminary decision.
Source: kipost.net