"Will South Korea's Semiconductor Industry Be Hit?" China Imposes Helium Export Ban

[Financial News] The Chinese government has abruptly banned helium exports. As China expands its controls over strategic materials, following rare earths with helium and other items, attention is turning to whether South Korea's high-tech industries, including semiconductors, will be affected.
According to the South China Morning Post and other outlets on the 10th, China's Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs of China decided to impose a temporary export ban on helium that day. The two agencies said the measure was based on China’s Foreign Trade Law and other related regulations. However, they did not disclose the specific background or how long it will remain in effect.
The measure takes effect immediately. The two agencies said, "Any follow-up adjustments will be announced separately."
With the Chinese government now banning helium exports, attention is growing over what impact this may have on South Korea's semiconductor industry. Helium is used as a coolant in the etching process, which removes unnecessary material from semiconductor wafers. In this regard, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are actively supplying memory chips around the world, supported by the semiconductor supercycle.
South Korea's dependence on Chinese helium in the semiconductor industry is believed to reach 90%. Meanwhile, China has expanded its strategic materials controls to include helium, following rare earths, graphite, gallium and germanium.
butter@fnnews.com Kang Kyung-rae Reporter