삼성전자가 경쟁력을 높이기 위해 HBM(고대역폭 메모리) 생산 목표를 10% 하향 조정하고, 연구개발(R&D) 인력을 재배치(2024.1.21)

2024.10.21

Weekly news roundup: Samsung reportedly lowers HBM production target by 10%

Samsung reportedly lowers HBM production target by 10%; reassigns R&D personnel to boost competitiveness

삼성전자가 경쟁력을 높이기 위해 HBM(고대역폭 메모리) 생산 목표를 10% 하향 조정하고, 연구개발(R&D) 인력을 재배치

 

Samsung Electronics has confirmed delays in its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) supply, adjusting its 2025 production target down by over 10% due to Nvidia's extended certification process. Monthly HBM production is expected to drop from 200,000 to 170,000 units, with overall capacity revised to around 12 billion GB. To boost competitiveness, Samsung plans to assign R&D personnel directly to production lines, improving collaboration. With operating profits falling to KRW9.1 trillion amid struggles in its HBM and foundry businesses, Samsung is also restructuring, removing its LED unit from the DS division to focus on power semiconductors and micro LEDs.

 

삼성전자는 고대역폭 메모리(HBM) 공급 지연을 확인하며, 2025년 생산 목표를 10% 이상 하향 조정했다고 발표했습니다. 엔비디아의 인증 과정이 길어지면서 월간 HBM 생산량이 20만 개에서 17만 개로 줄어들 것으로 예상되며, 전체 생산 능력은 약 120억 GB로 수정되었습니다. 경쟁력을 높이기 위해 삼성은 연구개발(R&D) 인력을 생산 라인에 직접 배치해 협업을 강화할 계획입니다. HBM 및 파운드리 사업에서의 어려움으로 인해 운영 수익이 9.1조 원으로 하락한 가운데, 삼성은 LED 사업부를 DS 부문에서 제거하고 전력 반도체 및 마이크로 LED에 집중하는 구조조정을 진행 중입니다.

 

China's semiconductor powerhouses unite as Beijing unleashes massive stimulus push

More than 300 industry leaders from global giants like STMicroelectronics, AMD, Huawei, and SMIC convened in Shanghai for the "Breaking Through the Chip Era" summit over the September 21 weekend, underscoring China's ambition to strengthen its semiconductor industry. The gathering coincided with Beijing's economic stimulus measures, which poured substantial liquidity into the tech sector following the U.S. Federal Reserve's rate cuts. Companies like SMIC, Hua Hong Semiconductor, and Tongfu Microelectronics benefited from the funding, but analysts caution that capital inflows may not directly translate into immediate economic recovery. The focus remains on spurring consumer demand and industry upgrades to sustain growth.

 

중국의 반도체 강자들이 베이징의 대규모 경기 부양책과 함께 힘을 모으고 있습니다.

 

 9월 21일 주말에 상하이에서 열린 "반도체 시대 돌파" 정상 회의에는 ST마이크로일렉트로닉스, AMD, 화웨이, SMIC와 같은 글로벌 거대 기업들의 300명 이상의 업계 리더들이 참석하며 중국의 반도체 산업 강화 의지를 강조했습니다. 이 회의는 미국 연방준비제도의 금리 인하 후, 베이징이 기술 부문에 막대한 유동성을 투입한 경제 부양책과 맞물려 진행되었습니다. SMIC, 화홍반도체, 통푸 마이크로일렉트로닉스와 같은 기업들이 이 자금 지원의 혜택을 받았지만, 분석가들은 자본 유입이 즉각적인 경제 회복으로 이어지지는 않을 것이라고 경고하고 있습니다. 성장 지속을 위해서는 소비자 수요 자극과 산업 업그레이드가 핵심이 될 것으로 보입니다.

 

 

Two factors mitigate serious threats from China's memory chip production expansion, says industry experts

China's memory manufacturers, led by CXMT and YMTC, are expanding capacity but face hurdles that keep them market followers for now. Despite CXMT's planned jump to 200,000 wafers by 2024 and efforts to enter the HBM sector, U.S. sanctions and initial yield uncertainties limit their global impact. YMTC's production delays further hinder their competitive edge. Both companies' heavy reliance on government support and alignment with national strategies stifles profitability and global reach, making them less of a threat to established giants. Strategic conservatism, driven by lifetime accountability for state-owned decision-makers, reinforces a cautious growth approach.

 

 

업계 전문가들에 따르면, 중국의 메모리 칩 생산 확장이 심각한 위협으로 이어지지 않는 두 가지 요인이 있다고 합니다. 

 

CXMT와 YMTC가 주도하는 중국의 메모리 제조업체들이 생산 능력을 확장하고 있지만, 이들은 여전히 시장에서 후발 주자로 남아 있습니다. CXMT가 2024년까지 웨이퍼 생산량을 20만 개로 늘릴 계획이 있고, HBM 분야 진출을 추진하고 있음에도 불구하고, 미국의 제재와 초기 수율 불확실성이 그들의 글로벌 영향력을 제한하고 있습니다. YMTC의 생산 지연 또한 경쟁력을 저해하는 요인입니다. 이들 기업은 정부 지원에 크게 의존하고 있으며, 국가 전략에 맞춰 운영되기 때문에 수익성과 글로벌 경쟁력이 저하되고 있습니다. 국유 기업 의사 결정자의 평생 책임제가 적용되는 전략적 보수주의는 이러한 신중한 성장 방식을 더욱 강화하고 있습니다.

 

ASML CEO: Asia to lead global semiconductor manufacturing for years ahead

ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet has underscored Asia's rapidly expanding dominance in global semiconductor production, as the region continues to outpace investment efforts in the US and Europe. Despite subsidies and tax incentives aimed at bolstering local manufacturing, Fouquet warns that relying solely on such measures is unsustainable, highlighting the need for structural changes to address long-term cost control and production flexibility. Asia's semiconductor market, led by China, Taiwan, and South Korea, remains ASML's key revenue driver, contributing 46% of global equipment sales in the second quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions, particularly US pressure to restrict China's access to advanced technology, pose challenges for the Dutch company's global operations.

 

ASML의 CEO 크리스토프 푸케는 아시아가 앞으로도 오랜 기간 동안 전 세계 반도체 제조를 주도할 것이라고 강조

 

 이 지역은 미국과 유럽의 투자 노력을 앞지르며 빠르게 성장하고 있습니다. 현지 제조업을 강화하기 위한 보조금과 세금 혜택이 제공되고 있지만, 푸케는 이러한 조치에만 의존하는 것은 지속 가능하지 않다고 경고하며, 장기적인 비용 통제와 생산 유연성을 해결하기 위한 구조적인 변화가 필요하다고 지적했습니다. 중국, 대만, 한국이 이끄는 아시아 반도체 시장은 여전히 ASML의 주요 수익원으로, 2024년 2분기 전 세계 장비 판매의 46%를 차지했습니다. 한편, 미국이 중국의 첨단 기술 접근을 제한하려는 압력과 같은 지정학적 긴장은 네덜란드 회사인 ASML의 글로벌 운영에 도전 과제가 되고 있습니다.

 

Self-reliance in chipmaking leads to plagiarism and intense competition, says ACM chairman

China's semiconductor equipment industry is grappling with internal challenges as US export restrictions push local firms to accelerate self-sufficiency. At the 2024 Semiconductor Equipment and Core Components Showcase in Wuxi, ACM Research chairman David Wang condemned rampant unethical practices like equipment refurbishment and imitation, warning they undermine true innovation. As domestic manufacturers vie for market share, many employ cost-cutting tactics, including the refurbishment of old equipment, posing legal and competitive risks. Despite robust demand for chips, Wang urged the industry to focus on R&D and respect intellectual property, arguing that true growth stems from innovation, not imitation.

 

ACM 회장에 따르면, 반도체 자립이 표절과 치열한 경쟁을 촉발하고 있다고 합니다. 미국의 수출 제한 조치로 인해 중국의 반도체 장비 산업은 자급자족을 가속화해야 하는 내부적인 도전에 직면해 있습니다. 2024년 우시에서 열린 반도체 장비 및 핵심 부품 쇼케이스에서 ACM 리서치의 회장인 데이비드 왕은 장비 재생 및 모방과 같은 비윤리적 관행이 만연해 있음을 비판하며, 이는 진정한 혁신을 저해한다고 경고했습니다. 국내 제조업체들이 시장 점유율을 놓고 경쟁하면서 많은 기업이 비용 절감을 위해 구형 장비를 재생하는 등의 방식을 사용하고 있는데, 이는 법적 및 경쟁적 위험을 초래할 수 있습니다. 반도체에 대한 수요가 강력함에도 불구하고, 왕은 산업이 연구개발(R&D)과 지적 재산권 존중에 집중해야 하며, 진정한 성장은 모방이 아닌 혁신에서 비롯된다고 주장했습니다.

 

SBI fumes over PSMC withdrawal, but semicon insiders question how they didn't see it coming

The collapse of a semiconductor joint venture between Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) and Japan's SBI Holdings has sparked conflicting statements, with SBI accusing PSMC of broken promises, while insiders suggest shared responsibility. SBI, a financial firm, claims PSMC unilaterally withdrew from their wafer fab project, while PSMC asserts the partnership's demise stems from strict Japanese subsidy terms and legal constraints. Industry observers had long viewed the collaboration skeptically, questioning SBI's lack of semiconductor expertise and due diligence, while pointing to PSMC's shaky financial history. The breakdown underscores the risks of ambitious chipmaking ventures without solid groundwork.

 

 

대만의 파워칩 반도체 제조(Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, PSMC)와 일본의 SBI 홀딩스 간의 반도체 합작 투자가 무산되면서 서로 상반된 입장이 표출되고 있습니다. SBI는 PSMC가 약속을 저버렸다고 비난하고 있는 반면, 업계 내부자들은 양측 모두 책임이 있다고 보고 있습니다. 금융 회사인 SBI는 PSMC가 웨이퍼 공장 프로젝트에서 일방적으로 철수했다고 주장하는 반면, PSMC는 일본의 엄격한 보조금 조건과 법적 제약 때문에 파트너십이 무너졌다고 반박하고 있습니다. 업계 관찰자들은 오랫동안 이 협력에 회의적인 시각을 가졌으며, SBI의 반도체 전문성 부족과 적절한 실사가 이루어지지 않았음을 지적했습니다. 또한 PSMC의 불안정한 재정 이력도 문제가 되었습니다. 이번 파트너십의 붕괴는 탄탄한 기초 없이 야심 찬 반도체 사업에 뛰어들었을 때의 위험성을 보여주고 있습니다.

 

China imposes restrictions on SiC expansion

China's silicon carbide (SiC) market is facing a shake-up as improving yields have led to an oversupply of substrates, prompting the government to tighten restrictions on expansion approvals. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) now controls the approval process, and in 2024, fewer than ten companies received permits for 8-inch production, causing a bottleneck in growth. This has left many businesses in limbo, unable to secure financing or government contracts, while companies like SICC, Summit Crystal Semiconductor, and Semicore, with strong 6-inch operations, continue to thrive. The unclear regulatory landscape has stifled expansion plans, particularly amid plummeting prices for 6-inch and 8-inch SiC substrates.

 

 

중국의 실리콘 카바이드(SiC) 시장은 수율 향상으로 인해 기판이 공급 과잉 상태에 이르면서 변화의 기로에 서 있습니다. 이에 따라 정부는 확장 승인에 대한 규제를 강화하기 시작했습니다. 국가발전개혁위원회(NDRC)가 이제 승인 과정을 통제하고 있으며, 2024년에는 8인치 생산을 위한 허가를 받은 회사가 10개 미만으로 줄어들면서 성장에 병목 현상이 발생했습니다. 이로 인해 많은 기업들이 자금 조달이나 정부 계약을 확보하지 못한 채 난관에 봉착한 반면, SICC, 서밋 크리스탈 반도체, 세미코어와 같은 6인치 사업에 강점을 가진 기업들은 계속해서 번창하고 있습니다. 특히 6인치와 8인치 SiC 기판 가격의 급락 속에서 불분명한 규제 환경이 확장 계획을 저해하고 있습니다.