최태원 “일본에 반도체 공장 투자 검토…전력·용수 풍부하다면 어디든”

SK Group President Choi Taek is reviewing investment options for setting up a semiconductor factory in Japan, according to a recent visit to the Seki City in Shizuoka Prefecture. During a meeting with Bloomberg News, Choi stated that he would announce any findings as soon as the review is complete. Bloomberg News reported that Choi is currently looking at Japan as a whole and that he is considering any location with abundant power and water resources.

HiSilicon, the vice president and CEO of SK Hi-Nickels, also expressed his interest in contributing to Japan's semiconductor industry, similar to how AI is contributing to the American industry. Choi had previously praised Japan for having all the necessary ecosystem components, including power and materials, making it a strong candidate for investment.

SK Hi-Nickels had previously reported on its plans to build a memory semiconductor factory in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, worth tens of billions of dollars. SK Hi-Nickels stated that it is still reviewing various options, such as boosting production capacity, but has not yet confirmed any specific plans. If confirmed, SK Hi-Nickels would become the third foreign company to set up a semiconductor manufacturing plant in Japan, following Micron in the US and TSMC in Taiwan.

Samsung Electronics currently only has a future semiconductor packaging research center in Yokohama. Choi visited Miyagi Prefecture as a representative of the Korea- Japan Chamber of Commerce.