S. KOREAN FIRMS' CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY

[Anchor Lead]

South Korean firms have showcased state of the art technology on the occasion of the Yoon-Biden summit. Samsung showed off the world's first 3-nanometer wafers. Hyundai presented a blueprint on new industries, such as robotics and urban air mobility.

[Pkg]

Presidents Yoon Suk-yeol and Joe Biden toured a Samsung chip plant in Pyeongtaek.

[Soundbite] Samsung Electronics Official : "We ask for your autographs on these 3-nanometer wafers."

These are 3-nanometer semiconductor wafers on which the two leaders wrote their signatures. They are an upgrade of the existing 4-nanometer version and have been unveiled to the world for the first time. One nanometer is about a hundred-thousandth of the thickness of human hair. If thinner electric circuits are inscribed, the wafer can contain more chips, leading to less energy consumption. The flow of currents can also be regulated in more detail. Samsung has successfully developed the latest wafers, ahead of world number one TSMC of Taiwan, and will soon begin mass production.

[Soundbite] Kim Yang-paeng(Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade) : "Samsung can expect an edge in securing clients. Its major clients include fabless chip makers, which do not fabricate but only design chips. They are now more likely to choose Samsung, having developed the 3-nanometer chip process, as their manufacturer."

Meanwhile Hyundai Motor, which unveiled plans to invest an additional 5 billion dollars in the US, has set its eyes on the fields of urban air mobility and robotics. It has already set up a joint venture with an American autonomous driving company in efforts to commercialize self-driving technology. Hyundai also purchased world-renowned robotics firm Boston Dynamics and has showcased a robot dog.

[Soundbite] Chung Eui-sun(Chair, Hyundai Motor Group(May 22))

Another Korean conglomerate Hanwha has unveiled plans to build a solar module plant in the US. Lotte has declared entry into the biomedicine sector through the acquisition of a US pharmaceutical plant.