South Korea Intent to Join “CHIP 4”

A senior official from the South Korean President’s office said S. Korean has decided to join a preliminary meeting of a US-led semiconductor alliance known as the “Chip 4.”

The official said to Korean News Agency Yonhap on Sunday (August 7th) that the foreign ministry has told the US South Korea’s intent to join the “Chip 4” meeting, which has scheduled to take place at the end of the month or early September.

“Chip 4” is an envisioned bloc of semiconductor powerhouses including the US, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, although regarded by Communist China as alliance aimed at countering Communist China’s influence in global supply chains.

South Korea has rejected calling the group as an exclusive “alliance” and described the bloc as a cooperation dialogue platform on semiconductor supply chains.

Another South Korean official said, “Our government will participate in the preliminary meeting with the aim of serving our national interest as much as possible.”

The preliminary meeting is expected to agree to a detailed agenda of the “Chip 4” meeting, defining the scope of participation of each nation and choosing a formal name for the bloc.

A senior official from the South Korean President’s office said, South Korea will decide whether to formally join the group after the preliminary meeting.