SEOUL – South Korea is set to strengthen its semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors through a new partnership with SoftBank’s chip unit, Arm Holdings, the country’s industry ministry confirmed on Friday. The initiative, formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), includes plans to establish a chip design school in South Korea to develop highly skilled talent in the field.
Arm’s Training Program to Develop High-Level Semiconductor Specialists
According to Kim Yong-beom, a presidential policy adviser, the training program will aim to educate approximately 1,400 high-level chip design specialists. This initiative is expected to address the shortage of expertise in system-semiconductors and fabless chip design in South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
Arm, a British company known for licensing its chip designs globally, earns revenue through royalties and has extensive expertise in semiconductor architecture and AI chip technology. By establishing a dedicated training facility, Arm aims to leverage its know-how while contributing to South Korea’s ambitions of becoming a global AI and semiconductor leader.
SoftBank’s Vision for AI and Semiconductor Growth
Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank, met with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to discuss the project. Son highlighted that AI-driven demand for chips is expected to rise dramatically, emphasizing the critical need for an expanded talent pipeline and improved infrastructure in South Korea’s energy and semiconductor sectors.
Son also shared his long-term vision for Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), suggesting that future AI could be “10,000 times smarter than people.” He emphasized the importance of learning to coexist harmoniously with AI rather than attempting to fully control or manage it.
South Korea’s Ambitions in AI and Global Collaboration
South Korea aims to position itself among the top three AI powers worldwide. In recent months, President Lee has engaged with leading global technology executives, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, to strengthen the country’s AI and semiconductor ecosystem.
In October, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix signed letters of intent to supply memory chips for OpenAI’s data centers, part of the Stargate project, a SoftBank- and Oracle-backed initiative to build advanced AI infrastructure. Additionally, Nvidia has committed to supplying over 260,000 AI chips to South Korean government agencies and top companies, including Samsung.
Future Collaborations and Industry Impact
SoftBank’s Arm is expected to further engage with South Korean conglomerates, with Masayoshi Son scheduled to meet SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won to discuss collaborative efforts in AI and semiconductor development.
The partnership signals South Korea’s commitment to strengthening its AI ecosystem, building local semiconductor expertise, and securing a competitive edge in global technology markets. By combining industry expertise, government support, and corporate investment, the initiative could help South Korea overcome talent shortages and accelerate innovation in chip design and AI applications.
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