[Herald Interview] Beyond memory: Korea's next big semiconductor challenge

Korea Herald

05-02-2025

Global collaboration, not nationalism, key to chip innovation: Imec CEO
South Korea has achieved remarkable growth over the past decades to become a global leader in the semiconductor industry, with its key players dominating the memory chip market.
However, as memory and logic chips become increasingly integrated, the country must enhance its capabilities in both sectors to maintain its competitive edge and tackle future challenges, said Luc Van den hove, CEO of imec, the world's largest independent research center for nanoelectronics and digital technology.
'Korea has had a phenomenal trajectory in the chip industry, and we all know that its position in memory is extremely strong," Van den hove said in a video interview with The Korea Herald on Jan. 30.
As demand for high-performance computing grows, the interconnection between logic and memory is becoming more crucial. Korea, home to the world's top memory chip makers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, is well-positioned to address some of the industry's biggest challenges, such as the limitations of physical scaling, he said.
"The interface between logic and memory is very important for future computer systems, and this is certainly one of the opportunities for Korean companies."
Artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented demand for cutting-edge chips that offer high complexity while operating at low power. However, concerns are rising over technological barriers to further shrinking chips, which are already at nanometer scales, leading to renewed debates over the validity of Moore's Law -- the principle that transistor density doubles every two years.
Van den hove believes Moore's Law will remain valid for at least another one or two decades, with enhanced equipment and advanced packaging methods -- such as chip stacking -- compensating for the slowdown in physical scaling.
"The combination of geometry-based scaling, lithography-based scaling and the introduction of new materials and devices will allow us to integrate advanced chips in new ways," he said.
To boost performance, chipmakers are adopting heterogeneous integration techniques, such as stacking chips vertically, which enhances computing power without requiring further miniaturization. This high-bandwidth connection enables larger computing units while maintaining efficiency.
At the same time, the imec CEO emphasized the importance of global collaboration, warning that the growing trend of governments prioritizing domestic semiconductor industries could stifle innovation and lead to mediocrity.
"The complexity of technology and the need for innovation are so great that it is impossible for any single region to do everything alone. To make the progress we need, we must combine the best of the best across the world."
While he supports government incentives and aid programs, he stressed that such efforts should be designed to enhance collaboration rather than promote nationalism.
Van den hove also noted that while China faces limitations due to US export restrictions, "scarcity can stimulate innovation."
"It is clear that China has made semiconductor development a high priority, and there is a lot of innovation happening there. It is important to recognize China's strengths," he said.
Marking the return of its technology forum, ITF, to Seoul on Feb. 18, Van den hove highlighted imec's long-standing partnerships with Korea's semiconductor giants, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, while also expressing a strong interest in expanding imec's network in the country.
'We certainly want to further strengthen the partnerships we have in Korea. We have very strong relationships with companies like Samsung and SK hynix. We know them very well and have worked with them for more than 20 years," Van den hove said.
"We also want to engage with the broader Korean semiconductor ecosystem, which is less familiar to us."
Having served as imec's CEO since 2009, Van den hove has built strong relationships with top executives of Korea's leading chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. During his visit to Korea next month, he is expected to meet with key executives.
During the event, imec will also sign a partnership agreement with the National NanoFab Center, Korea's leading public semiconductor technology service provider.