[News] South Korea Launches First 8-Inch SiC Plant in Busan, Annual Output Projected at 30K Wafers

With silicon carbide (SiC) offering superior heat resistance, voltage tolerance, and power efficiency over traditional silicon, global leaders like Infineon and Wolfspeed are racing ahead. Now, South Korea is stepping up too—Maeil Business Newspaper reports that Busan has opened the nation’s first 8-inch SiC power semiconductor plant.

According to the report, the Busan Metropolitan Government announced on the 17th that EYEQ Lab has completed its new headquarters and production facility in Gijang, Busan. With a 100 billion won investment, the plant enables South Korea to fully localize production of 8-inch SiC power semiconductors for the first time, Maeli suggests.

As the Korea Heralds highlights, the Busan Metropolitan Government views the completion of the project as a key milestone for boosting domestic production of 8-inch SiC power semiconductors and advancing local technological capabilities. Currently, the global power semiconductor market remains dominated by the U.S. and Germany, and as of last year, South Korea depended on imports for more than 90% of its supply, the report notes.

It is worth noting that EYEQ Lab’s newly built facility will not only manufacture its own SiC power semiconductors but also offer foundry services, with annual capacity projected at 30,000 wafers starting in 2026 following this year’s trial run, the report adds.

According to the company’s website, EYEQ Lab, founded in 2018, signed a foundry EDA with Samsung in 2019. In addition to the latest Busan project, it is also expanding in China, having signed MoU with Wuxi Industrial Development Corporation of China for Fab construction in 2023.

Notably, another South Korean semiconductor giant could also be eyeing the SiC market. ZDNet reported that on September 15, Hong Seok-jun, VP and head of Samsung’s CSS Business Team, said the company is focusing R&D on 8-inch SiC power semiconductors. Though no commercialization timeline has been announced yet, he noted that the company is working to commercialize SiC power semiconductors “as soon as possible,” the report adds.

Read more

• [News] South Korea to Double SiC Self-Sufficiency to 20% by 2030 Amid Chip Independence Push
• [News] TSMC Eyes Breakthroughs in SiC Thermal Management

(Photo credit: EYEQ Lab)