Industry

Moving fabs alone may not make South Korea\'s semiconductor relocation work, MPE ecosystem key

South Korea is pushing to disperse its semiconductor production base beyond the capital area, but simply moving fabs may deliver limited results, industry voices say. The government plans to allocate over 40 percent of its National Growth Fund to non-capital regions and offer special subsidies to relocating materials, parts and equipment firms. Officials also aim to build regional specialisation, but supply-chain depth, engineers’ response times, power costs and local settlement conditions are seen as decisive.

Telecommunications & Media

TSMC seeks 5 to 10 percent rise in chip contract manufacturing prices next year

TSMC plans to raise chip contract manufacturing prices from next year, prompting expectations that Apple may face greater pressure on product pricing. An IT outlet reported the price increase has been agreed with customers and will be 5 to 10 percent. The move follows Apple’s recent price rises linked to higher memory costs. TSMC did not confirm details but said it is working closely with customers to sell the value of its services.