Korea Semiconductor Academy launched to nurture field workers

The Korea Semiconductor Academy was established Thursday with former SK Hynix CEO Seok-hee Lee at its helm.

The launch ceremony was held at the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association in Pangyo, Gyeonggi, with executives of South Korea's chip companies such as Samsung Electronics Co., SK Hynix, and Wonik Materials participating in the event.

The academy aims to educate over 3,600 semiconductor experts over the next five years. It intends to nurture field experts in a shorter period of time than at universities where it takes more than four years for students to become experts.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will fund and orchestrate the educational program.

The academy, which will open in April next year in Pangyo Techno Valley, Gyeonggi, will have 26 education programs, ranging from chip design to semiconductor equipment, parts and packaging.  

The academy will open internship courses in collaboration with the nation's 30 universities running semiconductor departments.

Meanwhile, South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held a video conference with the US Commerce Department on creating a session exclusively delving into semiconductor-related issues within the Supply Chain and Commerce Dialogue (SCCD).  

In particular, the two countries discussed the so-called "guardrails provision," which prohibits a company from investing in advanced semiconductor facilities in China for 10 years once it receives subsidies from the US government.

Write to Han-Shin Park at phs@hankyung.com