– Linde, a Germany-based global leader in the industrial gas sector, declares a new growth strategy by changing its Korean branch name from BOC Gas Korea to Linde Korea

Gyeonggi Province (Governor Kim Moon-soo) will enter into an MOU for the supply of high-purity gas for semiconductor applications with Linde, a Germany-based world-leading industrial gas supplier, at the Hotel Shilla in Seoul on Tuesday, August 5, 2008.

The representatives of the four parties involved in the investment agreement will include Deputy Minister of Knowledge Economy Lee Jae-hoon, Gyeonggi Provincial Governor Kim Moon-soo, Linde Group Chief Executive Director Aldo Belloni, and Yongin Mayor Seo Jung-suk. More than 60 domestic and foreign guests including Chairman Jin Jong-seol of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council and Chairman Shin No-jin of the Yongin City Council are also expected to participate in the MOU signing ceremony.

Linde has been a major investor in Gyeonggi Province since 2005, when it decided to invest USD 170 million for the construction of high-purity gas manufacturing facility at the Samsung Semiconductor site located in Giheung, Yongin. The company will now be making an additional investment of USD 180 million.

Speaking about the MOU, Governor Kim Moon-soo said, “The continuous investment by Linde proves that Gyeonggi Province has a favorable environment for business and investment, which is highly dependent on the administration of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government. We will make every administrative and financial effort for the success of Linde’s new venture in Gyeonggi Province.”

According to the MOU, Linde will be expanding the Giheung Plant in Yongin and supplying high-purity gas for semiconductor applications by investing USD 180 million over a three-year period from 2009 to 2011.

Deputy Minister of Knowledge Economy Lee Jae-hoon, who will also sign the MOU, said, “As Korea, the international semiconductor powerhouse, is entering a new period of industrial growth despite recent market challenges, Linde will supply high-purity gas for semiconductor applications which will in turn serve as a driver for growth and a stimulant to Korea’s semiconductor sector. The government of Korea will spare no efforts in ensuring the success of this investment.”

Linde Group Chief Executive Director Aldo Belloni said, “We decided to make an additional investment thanks to the long-term cooperative relationship we have had with Gyeonggi Province. We plan to continuously make investments in the Asian market, a future growth engine of Linde Group.”

Linde is a multi-national company that supplies industrial gas and engineering services across the world, and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. It generated approximately KRW 18 trillion in revenue in 2007 and employs more than 50,000 people worldwide. It is a leading manufacturer and supplier of industrial gas and engineering services.

In the 2nd session of the event, it was announced that BOC Gas Korea, the Korean branch of Linde Group that grew into a global industrial gas company through a merger with BOC Group in UK, will be making a new start by changing its name to Linde Korea, according to a renaming plan by nation.

Linde Korea, which completed CI development to grow into a global company, plans to gradually change the logos and names of its facilities and equipment. It will declare its new CI by hosting an official renaming ceremony that will be attended by more than 250 partners and stakeholders on Tuesday, August 5, 2008.