Industry
K-defense boom masks near-total reliance on imported defense semiconductors
South Korean weapons are setting export records, but defense semiconductors that serve as their core components rely almost entirely on imports, raising concerns about structural vulnerabilities. A report cited 98.9 percent import use for advanced chips in domestic weapon systems, with particularly high dependence for power and memory semiconductors. The article also highlights risks from hardware backdoors and limits of network separation, and notes China’s push to raise self-sufficiency in SiC and GaN power chips.
