It was possible for the DS (semiconductor) institutional sector to continue technological innovation because of close cooperation with partner companies. We will strengthen partnerships to build an industrial ecosystem that grows with partners, and pursue shared growth based on communication and technology exchange.
Jun Young-hyun, vice chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics (head of the DS institutional sector), said this on the 3rd at The UniverSE in Yongin, Gyeonggi, at the "2026 DS (semiconductor) institutional sector shared-growth cooperation day (DAY)." The shared-growth cooperation day, co-hosted that day by Samsung Electronics and member companies of the Council of Partner Companies (Hyopseonghoe), has been held since 2012 to strengthen communication with partners and reaffirm the commitment to shared growth. Since last year, it has been held separately for DS and DX (finished goods).
About 90 people attended the event, including Vice Chairman Jun and key management of the DS institutional sector, as well as Kim Young-jae, CEO of Daeduck Electronics and chairman of Hyopseonghoe, and representatives of 64 member companies. ▲ Awards for outstanding partners ▲ Introduction of DS institutional sector business strategy ▲ Sharing of mid- to long-term technology roadmap were held.
Kim said, "The core competitiveness in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) is completed when Samsung Electronics and partner companies come together as One Team," adding, "Let's create a new leap forward for the semiconductor industry together, based on a shared-growth structure that extends to second- and third-tier partners."
◇ Awards presented to 17 partners for outstanding performance
The Samsung Electronics DS institutional sector selected 17 partners that achieved outstanding results last year in technology and quality innovation, environmental, social and governance (ESG), and expense efficiency and presented awards. KCTech, which supplies semiconductor equipment and materials, received the grand prize in the technology innovation category in recognition of its achievement in localizing materials that had a high reliance on overseas sources to strengthen manufacturing competitiveness. KoMiCo, which cleans and coats semiconductor facility parts, won the grand prize in the quality innovation category for operating a specialized analysis center certified by an international testing and calibration body and strengthening the quality of parts shipments.
Wonik IPS, which supplies semiconductor equipment (including CVD), received the grand prize in the expense efficiency category, recognized as a case where improving investment efficiency through localization had a positive impact across the domestic semiconductor industry. Linde Korea, which supplies gases needed for semiconductor processes, received an excellence award in the ESG category in recognition of its environmental management activities, such as introducing solar power facilities and improving plant efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
◇ Support for partners' funds, technology and personnel
Samsung Electronics is providing support centered on three areas — funds, technology and personnel — to enhance partners' competitiveness. The Samsung Electronics DS institutional sector is selecting excellent partners and paying incentives to improve the work quality of partner company executives and employees stationed at business sites and to prevent safety accidents within business sites. Incentives are provided twice a year, and the total amount paid so far exceeds 800 billion won.
In 2005, Samsung Electronics became the first domestic corporation to start paying transaction amounts in cash to small and midsize partners. In 2010, it created a shared-growth fund to lend at low interest rates the funds needed for facility investment, research and development, and company operations. The shared-growth fund started at 1 trillion won, and in 2018 an additional 400 billion won was contributed, expanding the support scope to third-tier partners. Along with this, an ESG fund was created to provide interest-free funds for partners' energy use reduction and strengthening of environmental safety at business sites.
Since 2013, Samsung Electronics has been participating in the "co-investment-type technology development program." Together with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, it has raised a total of 50 billion won to support small and midsize companies' technology development. The DS institutional sector pursued a cumulative 11 projects through 2025. To strengthen the domestic semiconductor ecosystem, it supported production infrastructure so that products developed by materials, parts and equipment corporations could expand not only in the domestic market but also globally, and provided in-house manufactured pattern wafers to domestic corporations and research institutes.
Tailored consulting and training programs are also being operated to strengthen partners' competitiveness. Consulting has been conducted for 299 companies to date. It provides free consulting related to system establishment, process improvement and quality enhancement.
Through the shared-growth cooperation academy established in 2013, online and offline training courses are offered free of charge. Since 2022, an education system reflecting the characteristics of the semiconductor industry has been established, and about 105,000 people from about 1,300 corporations have completed related training to date. As youth education–focused activities, programs are operated to maximize young people's potential, such as Samsung Software and AI Academy for Youth, Samsung Hope Stepping Stone, Samsung Dream Class, Samsung Blue Elephant and Skills Olympics Technical Education.