Korea faces tough competition in next-gen chip race amid patent lag

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South Korea is facing challenges in the global chip race amid an intensifying battle to secure materials for next-generation chips such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC), with other countries making significant investments in the area.

According to an analysis conducted by Maeil Business Newspaper into global GaN semiconductor technology patent registrations on Sunday, Korean companies and institutions registered three out of a total 320 new patents in the first quarter of this year, accounting for a mere 0.9 percent.

Korea’s patent registration lags behind that of India, which managed to register four patents despite being considered a latecomer.

Chinese organizations accounted for over half of the entire registrations with 182 patents on the back of massive investments in GaN chip technologies. China was followed closely by the U.S. with 42 patents, Japan with 39 patents, Europe with 29 patents, and Taiwan with 18 patents.

The analysis was based on the data provided by a global technology intelligence company, KnowMade.

GaN semiconductors are believed to be leading next-generation chips in the field due to their high power efficiency and fast speed.

They are 100 times faster than conventional silicon chips, consume 40 percent less energy, and have three times the power density, making them suitable for broad use in various fields, including electric vehicles, telecommunications, drones, and robotics.

According to market research firm Market Research Future, the GaN chip market is projected to grow over tenfold to $29.6 billion by 2030 from $2.47 billion in 2020.

Experts express concerns about the future of Korean chips, warning that any lukewarm responses may lead to widening technological gaps.

“Korea is seriously falling behind in the next-generation chipmaking technology,” said Professor Yang Youngoo from the College of Information and Communication Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University.