Korean universities are churning out chip engineers — but the breakthroughs aren't coming

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Korean universities are churning out chip engineers — but the breakthroughs aren't coming

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI


Inside Samsung Electronics' chip manufacturing facility in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Inside Samsung Electronics' chip manufacturing facility in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Korea’s strategy to win the global semiconductor race hinges on training brilliant “officers,” yet its education system is churning out foot soldiers by the thousands — leaving its future dominance at risk.
 
In just two years, the number of semiconductor departments at four-year universities in Korea has surged from 26 to 64 — a 146 percent increase. Including technical colleges, there are now 119 semiconductor-related programs nationwide, with about 15,000 students enrolled. 
 

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The government’s deregulation of enrollment caps has allowed universities to create new programs and rename existing departments to include “semiconductor” to address the work force demands of a booming industry. By current estimates, these programs will produce approximately 5,700 graduates annually.
 
Despite such effort, the industry still screams of a lack of work force. 
 
Industry experts warn that rapid expansion is misaligned with the sector’s true needs. 
 
While the government celebrates the rapid increase in numbers, critics argue that Korea’s semiconductor education system is producing “soldiers” for the factory floor but failing to train the “officers” needed to lead technological breakthroughs. 
 
Most graduates of undergraduate programs are funneled into roles managing semiconductor production lines, tasked with checking for contamination and monitoring production yields — work that may soon be overtaken by automation.
 
Talent deficit
 
Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy predicts a shortage of 56,000 semiconductor professionals in Korea by 2031, driven by major investments from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.
 
The two giants plan to pour $362 billion into building 10 advanced semiconductor production facilities in Yongin, Gyeonggi.
 
But simply increasing the work force won’t solve the problem, experts say. 
 
“The foundry business is fiercely competitive,” said Park Jae-geun, a professor at Hanyang University and former Samsung Electronics executive. 
 
“If orders don’t meet expectations, production cuts or factory shutdowns are inevitable. Korea needs to lead with ‘super-gap’ technology to stay ahead of rivals like China.”
 
Park pointed to TSMC, the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, as a case study in prioritizing quality over quantity. 
 
TSMC’s dominance stems not from its number of fabs but from its mastery of cutting-edge technologies, such as advanced processes and chip-on-wafer-on-substrate packaging. These innovations have enabled TSMC to secure exclusive orders from global tech giants.
 
The TSMC logo is seen at the TSMC Museum of Innovation in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan, on May 29, 2024. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

The TSMC logo is seen at the TSMC Museum of Innovation in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan, on May 29, 2024. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Building brains, not hands
 
The global semiconductor industry is pivoting toward automation, reducing demand for factory workers and increasing the need for advanced research talent. 
 
“Future fabs will be highly automated, requiring fewer workers,” said Sim Dae-yong, a former SK hynix executive and professor at Dong-A University. 
 
“Korea must focus on developing high-level R&D [research and development] experts capable of creating groundbreaking designs and processes.”
 
Countries like Taiwan are already investing heavily in graduate education to address this shift. 
 
In 2021, Taiwan’s government enacted a law to cultivate 10,000 semiconductor professionals annually, prioritizing master’s and doctorate programs. 
 
Korea, by contrast, lags behind in fostering graduate-level talent. 
 
Sungkyunkwan University’s Semiconductor Systems Engineering Department, which was established in partnership with industry leaders to produce advanced semiconductor specialists, has struggled to send graduates to graduate school. 
 
Most opt for immediate employment at Samsung Electronics, with graduate school enrollment rates falling from 17.6 percent in 2021 to 15.8 percent in 2023 — lower than the universitywide average of 22.2 percent for engineering disciplines.
 
“The focus on undergraduate programs, driven by corporate scholarships and infrastructure investments, has made graduate studies less appealing,” said one professor from the department. 
 
“To produce the advanced talent required for global competitiveness, companies and the government must expand support for master’s and Ph.D. programs.”
 
As the global semiconductor race intensifies, Korea faces a critical choice: continue churning out entry-level engineers or shift focus to cultivating the high-caliber minds needed to secure its technological future.
 
Samsung+KAIST
 
As a one way to address such mismatch, Samsung Electronics joined forces with KAIST to establish a graduate school committed to fostering chip designers.
 
The Graduate School of System Architect, the first of its kind in Korea, aims to nurture engineering experts who are able to understand both software and hardware of semiconductors and cater to diversifying needs of the chip industry that are evolving at a fast pace in line with that of AI. 
 
It will accept 10 engineers from Samsung Electronics' Device Solutions (DS) division every year who will go through graduate and postgraduate programs on scholarship.
 
The school plans to foster a total of 50 engineers in the next five years. 
 
Prof. Kim Joung-ho from KAIST's Department of Electrical Engineering will take the helm. 

BY LEE GA-RAM, SHIM SEO-HYUN, JIN EUN-SOO [[email protected]]
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