“During 2004 we undertook several strategic initiatives designed to extend our technology leadership, augment our product and service offering, improve our competitiveness and strengthen our customer relationships,” says James Kim, Amkor’s chairman and chief executive officer. “These initiatives included a realignment of our management team; a broad expansion of our operational footprint, including the acquisition of a new factory in Taiwan; an increased focus on flip chip and test; expansion of our design and development activities; creation of a long-term supply agreement with IBM; the acquisition of IBM’s Singapore test operation; and the acquisition of Unitive.”

(February 9, 2005) New York City &#8212 The demand for semiconductors in China has grown significantly in the last 5 years, as OEMs and other consumers of semiconductors have shifted production to China; however, domestic Chinese production hasn’t kept pace, leaving a $20-billion gap in 2003, up from $5.7 billion in 1999. According to a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), China’s Impact on the Semiconductor Industry, the domestic IC consumption/production gap will continue to accelerateduring the next several years, strengthening the Chinese government’s resolve to increase domestic production.