The inaugural Korea-Netherlands Semiconductor Dialogue commenced in Eindhoven, the Netherlands on February 19th, following an agreement between the Korean and Dutch governments during President Yoon Suk-yeol's state visit to the Netherlands in December 2023. The dialogue, undertaken by the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, aims to fortify collaboration in the semiconductor sector.
Notably, the Netherlands holds a pivotal role in the semiconductor supply chain, being home to ASML, ASM, and NXP. During President Yoon's visit, both nations committed to establishing a semiconductor alliance encompassing governmental bodies, businesses, and educational institutions, with the Korea-Netherlands Semiconductor Dialogue forming a vital ministerial-level component of this alliance.
The dialogue involved a comprehensive exchange of semiconductor industry policies, including the announcement of a mega cluster in January, and discussions on technical cooperation in areas such as design, equipment, and packaging. Furthermore, plans were made to broaden the scope of collaboration through joint academic meetings, expanding participation from colleges, universities, and institutions, in order to address the common challenge of human resource development within the global semiconductor industry.
Recognizing the need for enhanced connectivity between their respective industries to bolster semiconductor supply chains, the two parties deliberated on strategies to facilitate new business opportunities, such as organizing Korea-Netherlands advanced semiconductor training programs and similar initiatives. Additionally, both parties agreed on the necessity of annual semiconductor dialogues to perpetually assess the status of cooperation and reinforce ties among their governments, industries, and academia.
Lee Yong-pil, an official at MOTIE, emphasized the anticipated significant contribution of bilateral cooperation in the semiconductor sector to not only enhancing the competitiveness of both countries' industries but also fostering stability within global supply chains.
