Nurture semiconductor workers
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration is ramping up efforts to maintain the nation’s competitive edge in the semiconductor industry, setting its sights particularly on nurturing semiconductor workers.
On Monday, Science and ICT Minister Lee Jong-ho met with executives from key chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics, and the presidents of four major science institutes to discuss ways to foster semiconductor professionals. On the same day, Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Lee Chang-yang held the first meeting of the newly established industrial strategy roundtable and picked semiconductors as its first topic. The two ministers promised to spare no effort to help develop the country’s chip industry.
They reiterated their age-old promises to expand the enrollment quotas of university semiconductor departments. But if the past is any guide, their promises might turn out to be empty. The National Assembly approved the so-called semiconductor law earlier this year. The Moon Jae-in administration, which had pushed the passage of the law to nurture 30,000 chip specialists over 10 years, vowed to loosen restrictions on the enrollment quotas of semiconductor departments in the Seoul metropolitan area, but to no avail. The relevant clause was omitted from the law at the last minute in the process of parliamentary deliberations due to fears of a population concentration in Seoul and its surrounding area.
The shortage of semiconductor experts is no longer news. Semiconductor departments here produce 650 personnel every year. Even considering some 220 chip specialists produced with master’s or doctoral degrees every year, the combined figure falls far short of the 1,500 the industry needs.
As was exemplified by U.S. President Joe Biden’s selection of Samsung’s semiconductor plant as his first stop during his recent visit here, semiconductors are second to none when it comes to importance. And underpinning the chip industry is specialized personnel. That’s why state support is urgently needed. If the new government is really sincere about nurturing 3,000 specialists over the next five years, it should do more to lift restrictions on enrollment quotas in cooperation with the National Assembly.