The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 12th that it will initiate new infrastructure projects tailored for fabless companies (semiconductor design companies) to ensure cutting-edge competitiveness in advanced system semiconductor industries like AI and semiconductors. This initiative aims to provide fabless companies with access to high-cost design and performance verification equipment, which are typically challenging for small domestic fabless companies to procure. The Korea Electronics Technology Institute has been selected as the lead agency, with organizations like Seongnam Industry Promotion Agency and the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association also participating. Advanced equipment for chip design and performance verification will be installed at the System Semiconductor Development Support Center in the second Pangyo, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.
From March to May, the ministry conducted a project selection process, choosing the Korea Electronics Technology Institute for the ‘Fabless Company Advanced Equipment Joint Use Support’ project, and Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation for the ‘High-Reliability Semiconductor Commercialization Inspection and Verification Support’ project. The project includes a high-performance computing environment and emulators for virtual verification of chip operations before prototype chip production, and high-performance measurement equipment and analysis systems for evaluating high-speed interfaces post-production.
Additionally, a secure server room and high-reliability network infrastructure will be established for remote usage by fabless companies, and training for employees on equipment use and technical support programs will be provided. The project for high-reliability semiconductor commercialization aims to secure the reliability of chips required in advanced industries such as automotive, robotics, and medical devices, and support verification and validation during the chip design phase. The Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation has been chosen as the lead agency, with the Korea Fabless Industry Association and Korea Testing Laboratory involved, and a dedicated verification space for fabless companies will be created in Daegu City Hall’s annex.
The project, spanning from 2025 to 2029, will invest a total budget of 21.75 billion won (15 billion won from national funds) to build tools and equipment for function safety inspection and verification. It will also provide multifaceted support for fabless companies’ high-reliability semiconductor development and commercialization, including V&V process establishment, semiconductor V&V support, IP usage for verification, prototype V&V verification and technical support, and specialized education on verification and confirmation techniques. An official from the ministry noted that this project is expected to enhance the competitiveness of small fabless companies and extend verification support projects, which have been concentrated in the metropolitan area, to non-metropolitan regions, allowing fabless companies outside the capital region to more easily perform semiconductor design performance analysis and functionality safety verification.