○ Governor Kim met with ASMI CFO Paul Verhagen for investment discussions on October 11 during Verhagen’s visit to Korea
○ Governor Kim: “Gyeonggi Province, a global hub of the semiconductor industry, will do its utmost and cooperate to the fullest possible extent.”

Governor Dong Yeon Kim took the initiative in attracting investment from a global semiconductor equipment company after learning that the company is reviewing new investment.

On October 11, Governor Kim met with ASMI CFO Paul Verhagen and requested the expansion of that company’s investment in Gyeonggi Province. In addition, he expressed the intent to support a system for promoting and vitalizing investment by foreigners. Headquartered in the Netherlands, ASMI is a global company that ranks among the top 10 semiconductor deposition equipment manufacturers.

During the meeting, Governor Kim said, “Gyeonggi Province is a hub of the semiconductor industry not only in Korea but also globally… Gyeonggi Province is focusing on the creation of an ecosystem and environment for the semiconductor industry, and has already attracted research institutes from the world’s top four companies.”

He continued, “We also have ambitious plans in terms of various regulations as well as infrastructure and human resources. It would be ideal for ASMI to consider this when making its investment decisions,” adding, “As of today, we will do our utmost to cooperate as a good investment partner.”

“To develop next-generation semiconductor deposition equipment, an investment of more than KRW 1 trillion is needed by 2030… Gyeonggi Province is an attractive investment destination because it supplies stable and sustainable equipment to major clients,” CFO Paul Verhagen replied.

ASMI signed an investment agreement with Gyeonggi Province in 2015 and invested KRW 87 billion in semiconductor deposition equipment R&D facilities in Hwaseong City’s Dongtan Advanced Industrial Complex, hiring 440 employees. Last year it saw sales of KRW 300 billion.

Of particular note, ASMI has considerable interest in the innovative technologies of Korea, including mass production through plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) that was successfully developed for the first time in Korea.

The world’s first PEALD technology was developed in Korea in the early 1990s; ASMI highly valued this technology, using it to successfully realize mass production in Korea through additional investment in 2004.

Gyeonggi Province obtained information that ASMI is planning new investments to develop next-generation semiconductor equipment and reviewing global investment destinations, including Japan and the US.