[K-Reshoring Growth Strategy] Packaging, the Key to the AI Semiconductor Era... Rising Interest in Reshored Company Nepes - 매일경제

This article examines South Korea's semiconductor industry strategy in the AI era, focusing on domestic manufacturing and packaging technology to enhance industrial competitiveness. The case study of ... Read original →

South Korea’s push to reshore semiconductor packaging reflects a pragmatic response to the physical limits of AI chips. Advanced packaging has evolved from a back-end step into a critical enabler of computational density. Companies like Nepes are now positioning themselves in Chiplet interconnects and 2.5D/3D integration, triggering cascading upgrades across EDA tools, substrate materials, and test equipment. Heightened geopolitical friction is forcing Seoul to rebuild a domestic ‘design-to-test’ loop, reducing reliance on foundries in Taiwan, China—costly in the short term but essential for supply chain resilience against export controls. TSMC and ASE will likely accelerate advanced packaging investments in the U.S. and Europe to retain clients, while Samsung risks lagging in AI-custom chip races without comparable OSAT strength. Over the next 18 months, packaging will become the new frontline in tech sovereignty battles, potentially spurring Japan and India to follow suit as global semiconductor collaboration shifts from efficiency-driven to security-driven.