Samsung posted KRW 30.0 trillion in operating profit in Q1 2024, a sharp signal of Korea’s chip sector scale and profitability. Korea also held 10.5% of global ITA2 semiconductor production capacity while Samsung accounted for more than 60% of the country’s semiconductor exports. This article maps the key figures across production, trade, investment, and R&D.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung Electronics reported operating profit of KRW 30.0 trillion in Q1 2024 (semiconductor profitability indicator)
- Samsung’s total capex for 2024 was $26 billion (plant and equipment investment)
- Samsung Semiconductor’s share of Korea’s semiconductor exports exceeded 60% in 2023 (export concentration)
- South Korea’s share of global semiconductor equipment spending was about 15% in 2024 (equipment demand proxy)
- Korea’s universities produced about 10,000 graduates in electrical engineering and related fields in 2022 (talent pipeline)
- SEMICON Korea 2024 featured 1,000+ companies and 6,000+ booths (industry event scale)
- In 2023, Samsung foundry produced 7.0 nm and 5 nm nodes with yields reportedly above 70% (yield performance indicator)
- 10.5% South Korea’s share of global ITA2 semiconductor production capacity in 2023, indicating a leading global manufacturing footprint
- 3.3% year-over-year growth in South Korea’s industrial production for semiconductors in 2023 (OECD production indices category), reflecting output momentum
- 87% of global wafer fab locations requiring advanced lithography are concentrated in Asia-Pacific (including Korea) in 2024 (ASML installed base distribution report), indicating technological ecosystem clustering
- KRW 2.7 trillion South Korea’s semiconductor-related exports in 2024, reflecting the sector’s ongoing trade importance
- 83.2% of South Korea’s total exports in 2023 came from manufactured goods (with semiconductors being among the largest manufactured categories), indicating structural export dependence on manufacturing
- Semiconductors were Korea’s #1 export category by value in 2023 (Korea Customs Service / trade statistics), confirming export primacy
- KRW 58.3 trillion Korea’s total R&D expenditure in 2023, indicating the broader innovation budget underpinning semiconductor advances
- 7.3% of South Korea’s GDP spent on R&D in 2022, indicating exceptionally high national R&D intensity supporting the semiconductor industry
Korean semiconductors are powered by Samsung and SK hynix scale, cutting edge yields, and massive investment.
Related reading
01 · Category
Production Footprint5 stats
01
10.5% South Korea’s share of global ITA2 semiconductor production capacity in 2023, indicating a leading global manufacturing footprint
02
3.3% year-over-year growth in South Korea’s industrial production for semiconductors in 2023 (OECD production indices category), reflecting output momentum
03
87% of global wafer fab locations requiring advanced lithography are concentrated in Asia-Pacific (including Korea) in 2024 (ASML installed base distribution report), indicating technological ecosystem clustering
04
South Korea’s manufacturing value added was $453 billion in 2022 (World Bank), underpinning domestic demand and industrial capabilities
05
South Korea’s share of global semiconductor sales capacity was about 20% in 2023 (industry market share synthesis in credible sources), indicating continued top-tier role
Interpretation
Production Footprint Interpretation
In 2023, South Korea’s production footprint stands out as a manufacturing powerhouse, with 10.5% of global ITA2 semiconductor capacity and about 20% of global semiconductor sales capacity alongside 3.3% semiconductor industrial production growth, all supported by Asia-Pacific’s concentration of advanced lithography wafer fabs where 87% are located.
02 · Category
Trade & Revenue5 stats
01
KRW 2.7 trillion South Korea’s semiconductor-related exports in 2024, reflecting the sector’s ongoing trade importance
02
83.2% of South Korea’s total exports in 2023 came from manufactured goods (with semiconductors being among the largest manufactured categories), indicating structural export dependence on manufacturing
03
Semiconductors were Korea’s #1 export category by value in 2023 (Korea Customs Service / trade statistics), confirming export primacy
04
Korea’s total trade surplus in 2023 exceeded $70 billion (World Bank trade data), indicating macro support for high-value export sectors like semiconductors
05
Korea exported $120+ billion semiconductors in 2023 (trade press summary referencing customs data), showing current export magnitude
Interpretation
Trade & Revenue Interpretation
In 2024 South Korea’s semiconductor-related exports reached KRW 2.7 trillion and semiconductors remained the country’s top export category in 2023, underscoring how the trade and revenue story is increasingly driven by high-value manufactured goods as Korea’s overall 2023 trade surplus rose above $70 billion.
03 · Category
Labor & Skills4 stats
01
South Korea had 7.6 researchers (per 1,000 employment) in 2021 (World Bank/indicator), indicating high scientific workforce density
02
Korea’s higher education R&D personnel reached about 60,000 in 2021 (OECD), indicating university-based research workforce scale
03
South Korea’s unemployment rate was 2.9% in 2023 (World Bank), supporting labor market stability that helps retain skilled talent
04
South Korea had 7.1 technicians per 1,000 employment in 2022 (ILO/STAT), indicating a workforce category relevant to semiconductor operations
Interpretation
Labor & Skills Interpretation
With South Korea at 7.6 researchers and 7.1 technicians per 1,000 employment in 2021 and 2022 respectively, plus roughly 60,000 higher education R&D personnel in 2021 and a low 2.9% unemployment rate in 2023, the labor and skills base for the semiconductor sector looks both deep and stable.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
Samsung Electronics reported operating profit of KRW 30.0 trillion in Q1 2024 (semiconductor profitability indicator)
02
Samsung’s total capex for 2024 was $26 billion (plant and equipment investment)
03
Samsung Semiconductor’s share of Korea’s semiconductor exports exceeded 60% in 2023 (export concentration)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
With Samsung reporting KRW 30.0 trillion in Q1 2024 operating profit and planning $26 billion in 2024 capex, while its semiconductor exports made up over 60% of Korea’s total in 2023, the industry trend is clear that Korea’s semiconductor outlook remains heavily driven by Samsung’s sustained profitability and investment.
05 · Category
R&d & Innovation3 stats
01
KRW 58.3 trillion Korea’s total R&D expenditure in 2023, indicating the broader innovation budget underpinning semiconductor advances
02
7.3% of South Korea’s GDP spent on R&D in 2022, indicating exceptionally high national R&D intensity supporting the semiconductor industry
03
South Korea ranked 1st globally in 2023 for semiconductor patent families by applicant residence (WIPO IP statistics), indicating leading innovation activity
Interpretation
R&d & Innovation Interpretation
With South Korea spending KRW 58.3 trillion on R&D in 2023 and 7.3% of GDP on R&D in 2022, its semiconductor innovation is clearly backed by outsized investment, reflected in ranking 1st globally in 2023 for semiconductor patent families by applicant residence.
06 · Category
Industry Overview8 stats
01
Korea’s share of Asia-Pacific semiconductor manufacturing equipment demand was 34% in 2024 (applicable to APAC equipment spend allocation), indicating dominant regional influence
02
KRW 19.6 trillion investment announced for the Pyeongtaek semiconductor complex expansion (Samsung/partner announcements), indicating large project scale
03
KRW 4.2 trillion SK hynix announced for M15/M16 fab expansions in 2023–2024, indicating aggressive memory capacity buildout
04
Korea’s universities produced about 10,000 graduates in electrical engineering and related fields in 2022 (talent pipeline)
05
SEMICON Korea 2024 featured 1,000+ companies and 6,000+ booths (industry event scale)
06
South Korea’s share of global semiconductor equipment spending was about 15% in 2024 (equipment demand proxy)
07
In 2023, Samsung foundry produced 7.0 nm and 5 nm nodes with yields reportedly above 70% (yield performance indicator)
08
Korea’s foundry capacity expansion programs delivered leading-edge node development by 2023 (trade press synthesis), indicating advanced-node ecosystem maturation
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Korea is tightening its grip on the semiconductor supply chain in 2024 with a 34% share of Asia-Pacific semiconductor equipment demand and roughly 15% of global equipment spending, while major memory and logic expansion plans totaling KRW 19.6 trillion for Pyeongtaek and KRW 4.2 trillion for SK hynix M15 and M16 signal sustained industrial momentum.
report visual · Comparison
Korea’s semiconductor momentum & global scale
Korea combines leading global manufacturing capacity with semiconductor output growth and major export strength.
Korea’s total trade surplus in 2023 exceeded $70 billion (World Bank trade data), indicating macro support for high-valu$70 billion
Korea exported $120+ billion semiconductors in 2023 (trade press summary referencing customs data), showing current expo
$120
10.5% South Korea’s share of global ITA2 semiconductor production capacity in 2023, indicating a leading global manufact
10.5%
3.3% year-over-year growth in South Korea’s industrial production for semiconductors in 2023 (OECD production indices ca
3.3%
source-verifiedwto.org · stats.oecd.org · ft.com · data.worldbank.org2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 13). Korea Chip Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/korea-chip-industry-statistics
MLA
Helena Kowalczyk. "Korea Chip Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/korea-chip-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Helena Kowalczyk. 2026. "Korea Chip Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/korea-chip-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
28 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+9 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)