“US Considers Restricting HBM Supply to China from Micron, Samsung, SK, etc.”
Bloomberg reported on the 31st (local time) that the additional semiconductor control measures against China, which the United States is expected to announce as early as the end of next month, may include a provision to prevent Micron Technology, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix from supplying high-bandwidth memory (HBM) to Chinese companies.
The outlet reported this, citing anonymous sources, although no final decision has been made.
The new measures include cutting-edge AI memory chips beyond HBM2, including HBM3 and HBM3E, as well as equipment to make these semiconductors.
AMEC CEO: “China’s Semiconductor Equipment to Become Basicly Self-Sufficiency This Summer”
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) in Hong Kong on the 2nd, Yin Zhiyao, CEO of AMEC, a leading Chinese semiconductor equipment company, claimed at a discussion session on the 22nd of last month that “despite the gap in quality and reliability, China’s semiconductor supply chain can achieve self-sufficiency.”
“We initially thought it would take at least 10 years to find a solution, but with the combined efforts of hundreds of companies over the past two years, we can reach basic self-sufficiency by this summer,” said Yin Zhao, CEO of Yin Zhao.
He added, “Although Chinese semiconductor companies lag behind the U.S. in terms of capabilities, I am confident that China will be able to catch up with the industry leaders within the next five to 10 years.”
Intel announces largest-ever layoffs of 15,000 people
Intel announced that it will cut costs by a total of $10 billion (approximately KRW 13.71 trillion) over the next year and a half through business restructuring and workforce reductions. It also plans to cut 15,000 jobs, or 15 percent of its total workforce of 100,000, by the end of this year.
Intel’s second quarter sales were $12.8 billion (about 17.5488 trillion won), and its operating profit was a deficit of $1.61 billion (about 2.273 trillion won). Sales in the Client Computing Group, which is responsible for its core product, PC processors, increased by 9%, but it was not enough to achieve an operating profit surplus.
“Sales are not growing as expected, production costs are high, operating profit is too low, and the outlook for the second half of the year is worse than previously anticipated, so we need to take more aggressive action,” CEO Pat Gelsinger said.
Ageland, Padu Sign $19 Million eSSD Controller Development Agreement
Semiconductor design house Aegic Land announced on the 31st that it has signed a $19 million (approximately 26.2 billion won) contract with domestic fabless company Padu to jointly develop and mass-produce semiconductors for large-scale data centers.
Through this agreement, the two companies will jointly design, develop, and mass-produce eSSD controllers, which are key devices used in building large-scale data centers. eSSDs, which are made based on NAND flash, a type of memory semiconductor, are currently accounting for 52% of the entire SSD market this year due to the recent surge in demand from artificial intelligence (AI)-driven data centers.
The controller is a device that reads and writes data from semiconductors. Fabless is a company that designs semiconductor chips, and design houses are companies that adjust fabless designs to the complex processes of foundries and help with mass production. There are increasing cases of design houses co-designing chips with fabless.
“Fasting and postprandial blood sugar measurement”… Dongwoon Anatech to launch the world’s first needle blood sugar meter next year
On the 30th, Dongwoon Anatech held a corporate briefing session at the Korea Exchange in Yeouido, Seoul and explained its plans to launch the blood sugar measuring device D-SaLife.
Disellife is a medical device that measures blood sugar by detecting sugar in saliva, and it is convenient to use because there is no need to draw blood. Dongwoon Anatech conducted a clinical trial at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital last year, and compared the performance of Disellife with the blood sugar measuring device used in the hospital, and confirmed a relatively high correlation and accuracy with a Pearson Correlation Coefficient of 92.5%.
Nano CMS to Start Production of Next-Generation Semiconductor Silicon Carbide Materials
Chemical materials company Nano CMS announced on the 1st that it has completed construction of a processing facility for silicon carbide (SiC), a next-generation semiconductor, and has begun full-scale operations this month.
Nano CMS announced in April that it would invest 3 billion won to build a power semiconductor wafer material processing facility. A company official said, “We are building the facility in our second plant located in Tancheon-myeon, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do, with the goal of starting operations in August, and completed the construction of the silicon carbide processing facility at the end of last month.” He added, “With the operation of this facility, Nano CMS plans to further strengthen its technological prowess in the silicon carbide power semiconductor field and increase its competitiveness in the high-performance power electronics and semiconductor markets.”
Hansol I-Ones “Entering Semiconductor Equipment Reuse Business”
Hansol I-One, a semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment subsidiary of Hansol Group, recorded ‘surprise performance’ in the second quarter of this year. This was due to a sharp increase in demand from major customers as the semiconductor market revived.
Hansol I-Ones, a KOSDAQ-listed company, recently announced that it recorded sales of 39.5 billion won and operating profit of 7.2 billion won in the second quarter of this year. Sales increased by 35% and operating profit increased by 319% compared to the same period last year. Net income also turned to a surplus. Park In-rae, CEO of Hansol I-Ones, said on the 26th, “Sales in the precision processing sector supplied to Applied Materials (AMAT) increased significantly, and we restructured deficit businesses,” and “The semi-automation of processes prepared to improve productivity during the recession last year was effective.”
Electric Vehicle Chasm Stuck… SK On 460 Billion Won Operating Loss
SK On, which was hit hard by the electric vehicle chasm, recorded an operating loss of 460.1 billion won in the second quarter. Even though the amount of the Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit (AMPC) under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) increased by about three times from 38.5 billion won in the previous quarter to 111.9 billion won, the loss increased compared to the previous quarter.
The Hungarian Ivancha plant, which began operations in the first half of this year to target the European market, will begin full-scale production expansion in the second half. SK On has already hired local workers early and is providing training. In addition, the operation schedule of the Yancheng 2 plant in China is expected to be adjusted depending on the volume trend in the second half.
‘Electric Car Latecomers’ Japanese 3 Automakers Join Forces… Cooperation on Battery and Charging Infrastructure
According to foreign media outlets such as Bloomberg, Mitsubishi has joined the strategic partnership between Honda and Nissan for electric vehicle business in March. Nissan and Honda held a press conference on the 1st and announced that Mitsubishi had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the partnership.
Specifically, cooperation is expected to take place in software development, electric vehicle components such as batteries, and electric vehicle charging services.
On this day, Nissan and Honda also signed an MOU for joint research on software-defined vehicle (SDV) platform technology, sharing and standardizing electric vehicle battery specifications, and standardizing electric axle specifications.
China’s BYD, 100,000 electric vehicles for Uber… ‘Tariffs’ targeting overseas markets other than the US and EU
BYD, China’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, is speeding up its expansion into overseas markets by supplying 100,000 electric vehicles to Uber, an American car-sharing service company.
According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 1st, BYD and Uber announced this in a statement the previous evening.
The BYD electric vehicles will be used in Uber’s markets in the Middle East, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
LG Ensol-Kumho Petrochemical, Joint Development of All-Solid State Battery Materials… Obtaining Patent in China
The all-solid-state battery material jointly developed by LG Energy Solution and Kumho Petrochemical has received patent approval in China.
According to the battery industry on the 2nd, last month LG Ensol registered a patent in China for an electrolyte membrane developed using Kumho Petrochemical’s SBS (Styrene Butadiene Styrene).
Kumho Petrochemical developed SBS with its own technology in 1994. SBS is a thermoplastic elastomer with high elasticity and excellent deformation recovery. Since then, it has steadily improved product properties and expanded its market.
Mintech supplies battery automatic evaluation system to Gyeongbuk Technopark
Mintech announced on the 1st that it signed a contract worth 3.3 billion won with Gyeongbuk Technopark for the automatic evaluation process for used batteries and an automated transport system.
The contract awarded to Mintech is a project led by the Ministry of Environment, and its main goal is to create a fully automated system for the process of moving, loading, storing, and evaluating the performance of used batteries.
Previously, transport and evaluation of used batteries were performed by workers, but Mintech plans to build a system that does not require human intervention.
Ultium Cells unilaterally terminates 1.5 trillion won contract with Yulchon Chemical for battery materials
Ultium Cells, a battery joint venture between General Motors (GM) and LG Energy Solution, has unilaterally terminated a 1.5 trillion won parts supply contract with Yulchon Chemical (008730). Although the secondary battery industry has delayed or withdrawn plans to build factories due to the electric vehicle chasm (temporary slowdown in demand), this is the first time that a battery materials supply contract has been canceled.
Attention is being paid to whether the slowdown in the electric vehicle market, a front-end industry, will have an aftershock that will shake the secondary battery supply chain.
Yulchon Chemical announced on the 31st that it had terminated a contract worth 1.042 billion USD (approximately 1.4872 trillion KRW) with Ultium Cells to supply aluminum pouches for lithium-ion battery (LIB) manufacturing.
SK, China’s Jieli Group Take Quick Steps in Cooperation on Electric Vehicles and Batteries
According to industry sources on the 29th, executives in charge of Geely Automobile’s technology, research and development (R&D), and overseas cooperation visited the SK Seorin building in Jongno, Seoul, that afternoon. It is reported that the top executives of Geely Automobile’s premium electric vehicle brand Ziker also accompanied them. From the SK Group side, SK Group Senior Vice Chairman Choi Jae-won and SK ON CEO Lee Seok-hee greeted them.
The Geely Group has more than 10 global brands under its umbrella, including China’s Geely Automobile, Sweden’s Volvo and Polestar, and the UK’s Lotus. As of the first quarter, it ranked 10th in global automobile sales. Annual vehicle sales amount to 2.79 million units.
SK Group and Geely Group signed a ‘strategic business cooperation agreement’ on the 11th of last month, with the goal of strengthening cooperation in the eco-friendly mobility sector, including electric vehicle batteries and vehicle electrical components.
Baemin Teaches Autonomous Driving Robots the ‘Real World’
Woowa Brothers, the operator of the delivery application Baedal Minjok, is advancing its autonomous delivery robots using the government’s ‘Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Regulatory Sandbox’ as a springboard. They plan to improve the safety and accuracy of robot movement by utilizing the original image data required for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) related to autonomous driving.
The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Personal Information Protection Commission held a ‘Visit to Demonstration Sites and Discussion for the Development of the Autonomous Driving Industry’ at Cheonggyecheon Plaza in Seoul on the 31st. The government designated four companies as special demonstration business operators for utilizing original image information: Woowa Brothers (January 2024), Newbility (January), Kakao Mobility (March), and Forty Two Dot (April).
Through the regulatory sandbox, companies can use original image data when developing AI, limited to autonomous vehicles and delivery robots.
Infinix, AI Research Lab Expansion and Relocation… Strengthening Autonomous Driving and Defense AI
Infinix, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform company, announced on the 1st that it has expanded and relocated its AI research lab to the Daehwa Building in Samseong-dong.
Infinix has secured a research and development space of approximately 260 pyeong through the expansion and relocation of its AI research lab. The plan is to maximize collaboration and synergy between departments by consolidating the previously three-story workspace into one. In addition, it plans to expand R&D investment to enhance AI platforms and strengthen defense AI research capabilities, which is a new business area, and secure personnel for this purpose.
Lanix, supplies ‘V2X OBU’ to autonomous vehicles for demonstration operation at ‘2026 Gangneung ITS World Congress’
Lanix announced on the 1st that its self-developed ‘V2X OBU’ will be applied to autonomous vehicles in Gangneung City.
Lanix has completed the delivery of V2XOBU for the 3rd ITS (Next-generation Intelligent Transport System through Information and Communication Technology) construction project of Gangneung City and LGU+. This is one of the preparatory projects for the 2026 ITS World Congress held in Gangneung, and will be applied to all autonomous vehicles (modified vehicles, shuttle vehicles) currently running in Gangneung City.
In addition to T-WAVE and V2X Security developed by Lanix, V2XOBU products equipped with LTE communication functions and V2X S/W Stack will be delivered for this construction project.
Etiforce “Securing Interoperability Between LTE-V2X Modem and Qualcomm Modem”
Etiforce, a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) startup, announced on the 31st that it has successfully completed interoperability testing between its LTE-V2X modem developed with its own technology and Qualcomm’s LTE-V2X modem.
This interoperability test was conducted independently by Etifos using LTE-V2X terminals based on software-defined modems (SDM) developed by Etifos and roadside support stations and vehicle terminals equipped with Qualcomm’s V2X chips as test equipment.
V2X communication is an essential communication technology for connected cars and autonomous driving at level 4 or higher. Major countries including the US, EU, and China, including Korea, have finalized V2X communication policies and are making full-scale investments in V2X infrastructure, and the V2X market is taking shape in earnest.
SOS Lab Develops ‘High-Performance LiDAR’ for Global Automakers in the US
SOS Lab announced on the 29th that it is developing a high-performance autonomous driving lidar that will be applied to a global automobile company in the United States. According to the company, it plans to manufacture a prototype lidar in the first half of next year, conduct tests, and then supply a high-performance lidar optimized for the company’s autonomous driving system.
The lidar being developed this time is an ultra-wide-angle lidar based on ‘ML-A’, and an optical diffusion refractive device called a ‘diffuser’ is applied inside the receiver lens.
It is characterized by being able to secure a wider field of view than existing lidar. In the case of short-range lidar, it can cover a field of view of 190 degrees horizontally, and in the case of long-range lidar, it can cover a maximum of 300 m.
LG Display Selects ‘TCL CSOT’ as Preferred Negotiating Partner for Sale of Chinese Factory
LG Display announced on the 1st that it has selected China Star (SCOT), a subsidiary of Chinese home appliance company TCL, as the preferred bidder for the sale of shares in its liquid crystal display (LCD) plant in Guangzhou, China.
LG Display announced on this day that “we are transitioning from an LCD-centered business structure to an OLED-centered business structure, and have conducted various reviews on the strategic use of LCD assets, including the Guangzhou plant in China.”
He then said, “We will select TCL’s CSOT as the preferred bidder for the sale of shares in the Guangzhou LCD production corporation on the 1st and proceed with exclusive negotiations.”
LG Chem to Surpass US DuPont… Expected to Rank 2nd in OLED Materials Market
There is an outlook that LG Chem will surpass DuPont of the United States and rise to second place in the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) deposition materials market.
On the 30th, market research firm DSCC predicted in its biannual ‘AMOLED Material Report’ that LG Chem will take second place in the deposition material market this year and maintain that position. Last year, the top spot was taken by Universal Display Corporation (UDC) of the United States, followed by DuPont (second) and LG Chem (third).
Behind LG Chem’s rise to second place in the market is the entry into a new supply chain. DSCC explained, “LG Chem’s a-ETL is replacing Solus Advanced Materials’ a-ETL in Samsung Display’s latest material structure,” and “LG Display (034220) is also expanding the use of LG Chem’s products in new OLED structures for various applications.”
Source: kipost.net