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It has been three years today (the 1st) since Japan announced restrictions on exports of core semiconductor materials to Korea.

Recently, a Japanese media criticized the Japanese and Korean governments at the same time and reported that 'Korea's localization of semiconductor materials is at a standstill'.



Indeed, reporter Jeong Hye-jin examined how the promotion of the materials, parts, and devices, the so-called 'minor-manager' industry, that the Korean government had professed, could be evaluated.



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[The hydrogen fluoride produced in this storage tank was stored as a customer…

.]



Hydrogen fluoride manufacturing plant in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do.



We have succeeded in localizing ultra-high purity hydrogen fluoride, which is needed to scrape off semiconductor wafers or wash out impurities.



Most of them are supplied to Samsung Electronics.



[Yoon Seok-hwan / Head of Soulbrain Production Division: We overcame the export control crisis through localization.

We are continuously making efforts to respond to the increasing quantity by expanding new factories.]



After Japan's export restrictions in 2019, localization of hydrogen fluoride has been evaluated as 'successful'.



The total amount of imports of hydrogen fluoride has decreased, in particular, imports from Japan have fallen to about a third.



EUV photoresist, another Japanese export regulated item, also fell below 50% in dependence on Japan, which was close to 100%.



The government explained that imports from Japan to Japan were virtually zero due to the introduction of ultra-thin tempered glass, which is also an alternative material for display materials, polyimide.



However, there is a reality that is not included in the statistics.



Statistically, Japanese imports decreased as Japanese companies built factories in Korea or jointly produced them with domestic companies after export restrictions, but it can be interpreted that bypass imports are still there.



It is not a standstill as reported by the Japanese media, but it is difficult to say that it has achieved technological independence.



[Park Jae-geun / President of the Korean Society of Semiconductor Display Technology: Even in the case of EUV photoresist, it actually takes more time.

Localization is underway with government R&D support (for early stage product development).

The expression 'localization is at a standstill' is incorrect.] An



attempt to localize materials, parts, and equipment that began with Japan's export controls three years ago.



Now, as the supply chain crisis is spreading not only in Japan but also around the world, self-reliance of the manager has become a very important task.



(Video coverage: Jeon Gyeong-bae, video editing: Park Ji-in)