Chip machine manufacturer ASML and tech group Samsung want to jointly invest approximately 700 million euros in the construction of a new research center in South Korea. This will involve research into chip technology using the most modern chip machines.
ASML signed for this on Tuesday, when South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visited Veldhoven. Samsung CEO Lee Jae-yong was also present.
Several deals were concluded during the visit. ASML also made an agreement with South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix to work together on a number of sustainable projects.
Visit to the cleanroom
The South Korean president on Tuesday became the first foreign leader to visit ASML’s highly secured ‘clean room’, where highly complex technology is being developed. Yoon, who started a state visit to the Netherlands on Tuesday, would like to strengthen ties between the Dutch and South Korean chip industries.
According to the president, the chip sector is strategically more important than ever due to increasing competition from China. That is why the visit to the Netherlands is extra important, says Yoon.
ASML
In recent years, ASML has grown into the largest stock exchange company in the Netherlands. The company plays a central role in the global chip supply chain. For example, ASML has a monopoly on certain production processes that are essential for the production of the most advanced chips. The semiconductor equipment is used to make chips for a variety of applications such as smartphones, servers, electric cars and advanced military equipment.