초순수(Ultrapure Water)

Summary

South Korea faces a critical challenge in its advanced manufacturing sectors, particularly semiconductors, due to heavy reliance on foreign (primarily Japanese) technology for ultrapure water (UPW) production. This dependency poses an economic security risk, highlighted by supply disruptions during the 2019 Japan-Korea trade dispute. The Korean government is promoting the localization of UPW technology and strengthening the domestic water industry ecosystem, investing in R&D and analyzing global technology trends. While these efforts are in progress, significant dependency on foreign companies, especially for UPW system design, remains a key hurdle.

Key Facts

Source Document

https://example-government.gov/policy-document-link