The Netherlands and South Korea are strengthening their semiconductor cooperation, which is known as semiconductor diplomacy. Yoon's trip has sparked a lot of interpretation, with some suggesting that they want to join forces with the Netherlands to avoid being compromised in terms of core equipment restrictions. After all, South Korean companies such as Samsung and SK hynix rely heavily on ASML's lithography equipment and have only recently been promised to extend the exemption period. Yoon Suk-yeol's visit to the Netherlands and his focus on ASML's headquarters are likely to have more say in terms of equipment** and avoid being controlled by others. The Netherlands is not satisfied with the U.S. ban on equipment and has said that it wants to protect ASML's market interests, so the cooperation between South Korea and the Netherlands is highly anticipated. Surprisingly, however, Yoon's approach may allow them to "tie their hands". It is reported that while strengthening semiconductor cooperation, South Korea has also put forward the issue of strengthening economic security with the United States, Japan, Europe and other countries. This means that Yoon Suk-yeol may strengthen cooperation with other countries in the field of semiconductors through the Netherlands as a "middleman". In essence, this will continue to make South Korea highly dependent on external core technology, and it is they who have voluntarily handed it over. This self-binding approach is not difficult to understand, because even if there is a semiconductor alliance with the Netherlands, it will not be possible to get around the technological restrictions of the United States. The current shipment dilemma faced by ASML is caused by the restrictions on core technologies in the United States. In the context that the United States still dominates the core technology of the semiconductor industry, it is difficult to make substantial progress even if it forms its own small alliance. South Korea is more concerned with losing the benefits of the global market than building good relations with the Chinese market. Samsung and SK hynix have large production bases in Chinese mainland, and once their lithography machines and other manufacturing equipment** are blocked, South Korean companies will lose more than just the Chinese market. This is also one of the main reasons why they keep applying for extensions of the exemption period. In addition, under the technological constraints of the United States, South Korean semiconductors face not only challenges from the United States, but also competition from other allies. Under these circumstances, it is natural for South Korea to look for a roundabout way to consolidate its relations with other countries, such as working with the Netherlands to further engage with Europe and the United States. In addition, Japan also plays an important role in the tripartite agreement on chips, so the cooperation with the Netherlands will bring many benefits. However, it is not known how long this approach will last, as the attitude of the United States to the limits of technological hegemony has been changing. The move could affect the situation behind South Korea's tremendous technological progress in the field of semiconductors. Now, let's take a look at this issue together and welcome you to share your views in the comments.
The semiconductor cooperation between South Korea and the Netherlands is highly anticipated. Since the Netherlands is not satisfied with the U.S. ban on equipment, South Korea and the Netherlands have a common interest on this issue. Yoon Suk-yeol's visit to the Netherlands and his focus on ASML's headquarters are likely to have more say in terms of equipment** and avoid being controlled by others. However, Yoon's actions may also allow them to "tie their hands". While South Korea and the Netherlands could form a semiconductor alliance, it may be only formal, since they cannot circumvent U.S. technological restrictions. In addition, South Korea has raised the issue of strengthening its economic security with the United States, Japan, Europe, and other countries, which will in essence continue to make South Korea highly dependent on external core technologies. Despite this, cooperation between South Korea and the Netherlands is still favored because they have many common interests and opportunities for cooperation in the field of semiconductors.
South Korea's semiconductor industry occupies an important position in the global semiconductor market, but it also faces some challenges and dilemmas. South Korean companies such as Samsung and SK hynix rely on the import of core technologies, especially ASML's lithography equipment. At present, due to the restrictions on core technologies in the United States, ASML's shipments have been troubled. If South Korea is unable to solve the problem of dependence on core technologies, then their competitiveness in the semiconductor industry will suffer. In addition, South Korea is worried about losing more of the benefits of the global market, especially if they lose the support of the Chinese market. Since Samsung and SK hynix have production bases in Chinese mainland, once their manufacturing equipment** is limited, it will cause huge losses. Therefore, South Korea needs to find the right partner to strengthen its position in the global semiconductor market.
The Netherlands plays an important role in the global semiconductor industry. As the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductor equipment, ASML is headquartered in the Netherlands. The Netherlands** has always been committed to safeguarding ASML's market interests and has also expressed dissatisfaction with the US equipment ban. The Netherlands is important to South Korea's semiconductor industry, as Korean companies rely heavily on ASML's equipment, and the Netherlands is home to ASML's headquarters. Through the cooperation with the Netherlands, South Korea can indirectly reach out to countries such as Europe and the United States and expand the scope of cooperation in the semiconductor industry. In addition, the role of the Netherlands is to promote cooperation between South Korea and other semiconductor-producing countries, such as Japan. Therefore, the cooperation between South Korea and the Netherlands is of great significance for the development of the Korean semiconductor industry.
The semiconductor cooperation between South Korea and the Netherlands is highly anticipated, but there are also risks. Yoon's visit to the Netherlands is not only aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the field of semiconductors, but also on economic security issues and cooperation with other countries. South Korean companies rely on external core technologies in the semiconductor industry, especially ASML's lithography equipment. Although South Korea and the Netherlands could form a semiconductor alliance, it may be only a formality because it is impossible to circumvent U.S. technological restrictions. South Korea is also worried about losing the benefits of the global market, especially the support of the Chinese market. In addition, the Netherlands plays an important role in the global semiconductor industry, particularly as the location of ASML's headquarters. Through cooperation with the Netherlands, South Korea can expand cooperation with countries such as Europe and the United States, and promote cooperation with other semiconductor producing countries such as Japan. However, there are risks associated with the cooperation between South Korea and the Netherlands, such as not being able to get rid of the dependence on external core technologies. There are still challenges for South Korea to make great technological progress in the field of semiconductors. Finally, the cooperation between South Korea and the Netherlands is of great significance for the development of the Korean semiconductor industry, but its sustainability is still uncertain.