Asia Pacific

04/01/1998

Asia/Pacific

LG Semicon has entered a co-development project with Pohang University for its x-ray litho development program. The company completed the X-Ray Lithography Center in 1995, and thus far has invested 12 billion won (made when the won was trading at 900 to the dollar or less) in the university overall. A spokesperson for LG said, "The current economic turmoil has not affected the center at all as R&D is moving ahead at full steam." Last year, work at the center led to LG `s development of 12-nm design rule technology.

LG Chemical, South Korea, and Rohm and Haas Co. Ltd., Philadelphia, PA, through its Shipley subsidiary, will form a joint venture for the Korean manufacture and sale of microelectronic chemicals to Korea. Shipley will own 51% of the venture. Construction is expected to begin soon on a manufacturing facility in Korea.

Varian Associates Inc., Palo Alto, CA, has purchased for an undisclosed sum the 39% of Varian Korea Ltd. (VKL) that it did not already own. The stake was held by the unit`s former president and managing director, S.K. Suh. VKL, which occupies a 63,000-ft2 factory in Pyungtaek City, is now headed by S.K. Kwak, president, and Y.K. Kim, executive VP. With a staff of 130, the company ranks as Korea`s largest producer of ion implanters.