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The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA held a U.S. Investment Declaration Ceremony and Investor Roundtable in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, September 3 (local time), securing a combined 2 billion dollars in domestic investment from four advanced U.S. companies. Key attendees pose for a commemorative photo following the signing ceremony. / Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA)

Four advanced U.S. companies are investing a total of 2 billion dollars in South Korea's semiconductor materials, equipment, and clean energy sectors. The investments are expected to help expand the domestic advanced industry ecosystem and strengthen supply chain linkages between South Korea and the U.S.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced that they held a U.S. Investment Declaration Ceremony and Investor Roundtable in Washington, D.C., on the 3rd (local time), securing a total of 2 billion dollars in domestic investments from four advanced U.S. enterprises.

The investing companies are industrial gas producer Air Products, semiconductor equipment maker Axcelis Technologies, advanced materials company Corning, and energy infrastructure developer Pacifico Energy. Executives from the four firms, including Air Products CEO Eduardo Menezes, attended the ceremony to share the current status of their domestic operations and additional investment plans.

Air Products will build industrial gas supply infrastructure at a next-generation semiconductor manufacturing base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. By setting up production facilities for ultra-high-purity gases essential for chip fabrication, rare gases for precision microprocessing, and hydrogen, the company plans to expand the domestic supply base for critical semiconductor materials.

Axcelis Technologies will expand its ion implanter manufacturing facility in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Ion implanters serve as critical equipment used in semiconductor front-end processes. South Korea is the only country where Axcelis manufactures ion implanters outside the U.S.

Alongside expanding its production plant, Axcelis plans to foster its Korean operations into a comprehensive technological innovation hub by strengthening research and development, prototyping, and technical training capabilities.

Glass, ceramics, and optical materials maker Corning will introduce next-generation process technologies for advanced materials at its manufacturing site in Asan, South Chungcheong Province. Having entered South Korea in 1973, Corning has sustained investments in R&D and manufacturing, underpinning a core pillar of the nation's display and glass materials supply chain.

Pacifico Energy will pursue an offshore wind power project totaling 3.2 gigawatts (GW) off the coast of Jindo, South Jeolla Province. Marking a notable instance of a U.S.-based renewable energy developer participating in a large-scale domestic offshore wind initiative, the project is expected to help expand clean energy supplies needed for high-tech industries, including artificial intelligence data centers.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA anticipate that these investments will support the government's Three Major Megaprojects for Korea's Great Leap and the expansion of the domestic advanced industry ecosystem, while serving as momentum to strengthen investment and supply chain cooperation between South Korea and the U.S.

KOTRA President Kang Kyung-sung remarked, "This investment holds great significance as it directly connects to semiconductors, AI data centers, and physical AI—the core pillars of the Three Major Megaprojects," adding, "It will contribute to advancing the domestic industrial ecosystem and enhancing high-tech supply chain cooperation between South Korea and the U.S."

                                                                                                            Kim Deok-ho