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India Gazette
28-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Samsung to embrace Glass Interposers for Next-Gen Chips
New Delhi [India], May 28 (ANI): Samsung Electronics plans to adopt glass substrate interposers from conventional silicon interposers, according to a report by the Korea report, citing Industry sources, says that Samsung plans to make this switch for its advanced semiconductors by 2028 to 'meet customer demands.' 'In semiconductor manufacturing, interposers are critical in advanced packaging technologies. They connect high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips with graphics processing units (GPUs) or other logic chips, enabling faster data transfer and improved overall performance,' said the news chips in semiconductors refer to the use of ultra-thin glass layers as a substrate or base material for semiconductor chips instead of traditional silicon.'If glass substrates are successfully adopted, they could become a very attractive material,' said a chip materials professor on condition of anonymity to the Korean Herald. 'But there are still significant hurdles to clear before they can be commercialised.'According to Korea's SKC, the material can improve chip processing speeds by up to 40 per cent and reduce power consumption too by more than 40 per cent compared to traditional silicon the flip side, despite of its various benefits, commercialisation has been slow, primarily due to the brittleness of glass and the high-precision demands of the manufacturing not only Samsung, but also other major players like Intel, AMD, Broadcom, and Nvidia are also actively looking for opportunities to adopt glass substrates in their next-generation chip products.'Competition in the chip market is intensifying, and players are constantly seeking breakthroughs to set themselves apart,' said Lee Byung-hun, professor of electrical engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology to the Korean Herald. Further adding, 'It's encouraging that Samsung continues to pursue differentiation to strengthen its competitive edge.'Earlier this year, South Korean semiconductor exports to Vietnam rose from 11.6 per cent in 2020 to 12.9 per cent in 2024. This growth was driven by companies such as Samsung relocating significant portions of their smartphone production from China to Vietnam, further altering the supply chain landscape in the region. (ANI)
India Gazette
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- India Gazette
South Korea's auto exports to US drops in April (YoY) amid US tariffs: Report
New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): South Korea's automobile exports declined in April year on year, largely due to a sharp drop in shipments to the United States following Washington's imposition of steep tariffs on foreign-made cars, reports the Korean Herald, quoting government data. The value of outbound shipments of automobiles was down 3.8 per cent to USD 6.53 billion in April shows the data of South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Exports to North America declined 17.8 per cent to USD 3.36 billion in April 2025, as compared with April 2024. Shipments to the US also plunged 19.6 per cent to USD 2.89 billion. South Korea's car industry is seeing strong growth, both at home and overseas. Exports to the European Union (EU) jumped by 26.7 per cent in April, reaching USD 953 million, due to strong sales of electric models like Kia's EV3 and Hyundai's Casper Electric, the Korean Herald report added. At home, car sales also rose for the third month in a row, increasing by 6.7 per cent compared to last year. Electric and hybrid cars were especially popular, with EV sales growing by over 50 per cent and hybrid sales by nearly 30 per cent. Together, both the segments made up 46 per cent of all the 151,000 cars sold in South Korea last month, as per the report. However, the industry is keeping a close eye on a new 25 per cent import tax that the US introduced on April 3, a policy that started under former President Donald Trump. The report adds that in order to support the industry, the South Korean government announced plans to inject an additional 2 trillion won (USD 1.43 billion) in liquidity into the industry. It is in addition to the previously pledged 13 trillion won in policy financing. Meanwhile, South Korea and the US will start detailed discussions this week to reach a broader agreement by early July. These talks will focus on the new US tariffs and how the two countries can work together on economic and industrial issues. South Korea has also pledged to work on strengthening the domestic automotive sector. Measures such as subsidies for EV purchases, extended tax incentives for new vehicle buyers and efforts to diversify export markets will be taken. (ANI)
The Independent
20-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
South Korea to accept North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine if they seek asylum
South Korea has said it will grant asylum to North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine if they seek refuge, reinforcing its longstanding policy of recognising North Koreans as South Korean citizens under its constitution. The announcement came after a North Korean soldier reportedly taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces expressed his wish to settle in South Korea, raising questions about whether Seoul would accept his request. 'The government, based on the basic principle of accepting all of them when they request to come to South Korea and according to relevant laws, will provide necessary protection and support,' a South Korean foreign ministry official, speaking anonymously, said on Wednesday. The official confirmed this stance had already been conveyed to Ukraine and that discussions on the matter would continue, the Korean Herald reported. 'Respecting their free will is also in line with international law and practices and they must not be sent back to their country where they would face persecution,' the official said, according to the South China Morning Post. 'We have conveyed this position to the Ukrainian side, and we plan to conduct necessary consultations.' Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky claimed last month his forces had captured two North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia. One of them, a 26-year-old sniper identified by the surname Ri, was interviewed by South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo and spoke about his desire to defect. 'I will apply for refugee status,' Ri was quoted as saying by the paper. 'I am thinking of going to South Korea. If I apply for refugee status, will they accept me?' Ri claimed he was unaware he would be deployed to fight against Ukraine. He had been told he would be training as an international student in Russia, the paper said. 'I didn't know I would be participating in combat,' he said. The other soldier, 21-year-old rifleman Paek, also suggested he was considering defecting to South Korea. Both soldiers had been deployed to Russia's Kursk border region in late October and November after serving in the North Korean military for several years. Mr Zelensky has suggested that Ukraine is open to various options for North Korean prisoners of war. He has previously indicated that Kyiv is willing to exchange them for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia. 'Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un 's soldiers to him if he can organise their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia,' Mr Zelensky said. 'For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available.' Seoul's decision to accept defecting North Korean soldiers aligns with its constitution, which recognises all North Koreans as South Korean citizens. The foreign ministry reiterated that international law and humanitarian principles dictate that prisoners of war should not be repatriated to countries where they may face persecution. The South Korean defence ministry condemned the North's deployment of troops to Russia calling it "deceptive and inhumane'. A ministry spokesperson, Jeon Ha Gyu, urged Pyongyang to immediately halt further troop deployments. Seoul also criticised Chosun Ilbo for publishing images and personal details of the captured North Korean soldiers. 'Prisoners of war must be treated humanely and media coverage involving them should be handled with caution under relevant agreements, including the Third Geneva Convention,' a foreign ministry official said. 'We express concern and regret that the facial photos of North Korean prisoners of war were exposed as they were by the media report, creating the possibility of disadvantages to the safety of themselves and their families.' The ruling conservative People Power Party has urged the government to make efforts to facilitate the safe defection of North Korean prisoners held in Ukraine. Interim leader Kwon Young Se warned that captured North Korean soldiers could be exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners, meaning they could be returned to North Korea. 'If they return to North Korea, the lives of these young men cannot be guaranteed,' he said. 'We must not send them back to a place where their safety cannot be ensured.'
