Future of Korean semiconductor industry

Despite its slow start, the Korean semiconductor industry has grown to become one of the country's core industries. Large investments in the mid-1980's created what has become the most successful high-tech venture in Korean history. This tremendous growth was led by the three major conglomerates - Samsung, Hyundai, and LG. Each of the above ''Big Three'' (Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Electronic Industries, and LG Semiconductor) has taken a top ten position in the world DRAM market. However, the industry is suffering growing pains. Some of these pains include the imbalance between the memory and the non-memory sectors, the lack of foundation technology, the shortage of well-trained technologists and researchers, and the constant international trade friction. To alleviate these problems and insure title continued success of the industry, along term plan is required. Not only must the memory sector be sustained, but the development of non-memory technology must be addressed to reduce the risk associated with the heavy and expensive investments in memory chip production. In addition, cooperation between the industry, academia, and research institutes is needed to train personnel and acquire the foundation technology required to manufacture facilities and raw materials.