China bans helium exports, a key semiconductor material; Cheong Wa Dae says there will be no impact on local industry

[Financial News] Cheong Wa Dae said on the 11th that China's temporary export ban on helium, which is used in semiconductor manufacturing processes, will not affect South Korea's semiconductor industry.
Ahn Gwi-ryeong, Deputy Spokesperson of the Blue House, said in response to China's helium export ban that "after the war in the Middle East, most imports were diversified to the United States, and imports from China are also very small, so there will be no impact on our semiconductor industry."
Earlier in the day, MOFCOM and the General Administration of Customs of China announced in a notice that they would impose a temporary export ban on helium. The measure took effect immediately upon announcement.
Helium is one of the key materials used as a coolant in semiconductor and display manufacturing. Because it is considered a strategic material used across advanced industries, attention has focused on how China's move may affect South Korea's semiconductor supply chain.
Chinese authorities said the measure was based on provisions related to the foreign trade law, but they did not disclose the specific background or the duration of the ban. MOFCOM and the General Administration of Customs of China said, "Any follow-up adjustments will be announced separately through a notice."
west@fnnews.com Sung Seok-woo Reporter