• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.500-508
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• 2020

Background: Research on the status of many chemicals used in the semiconductor industry is needed. The purpose of this study was to describe the overall status of chemical use in the semiconductor industry in Korea and to examine it from a health perspective. Methods: Data on the status of chemical use and safety data sheets at 11 of 12 major semiconductor workplaces in Korea were collected. The number of chemical products and chemical constituents, quantities of chemicals, and trade secret ingredients used, as well as the health hazards were examined. Results: On average, 210 chemical products and 135 chemical constituents were used at the surveyed workplaces. Among all chemical products, 33% (range: 16-56%) contained at least one trade secret ingredient. Most of the trade secret ingredients were used in the photolithography process. Several carcinogens, including sulfuric acid, chromic acid, ethylene oxide, crystalline silica, potassium dichromate, and formaldehyde were also used. Only 29% (39 of 135) of the chemical constituents had occupational exposure limits, and more than 60% had no National Fire Protection Association health, safety, and reactivity ratings. Based on the aforementioned results, this study revealed the following. First, many chemical products and constituents are being used in the semiconductor industry and many products contained trade secret ingredients. Second, many products contained significant amounts of carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reproductive toxicant materials. Conclusion: We conclude that protecting workers in the semiconductor industry against harm from chemical substances will be difficult, due to widespread use of trade secret ingredients and a lack of hazard information. The findings of the status of chemical use and the health and safety risks in semiconductor industry will contribute to epidemiological studies, safe workplace, and worker health protection.

• JOURNAL OF ELECTRICAL WORLD
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• no.2 s.122
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• pp.6-9
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• 1987

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.127-150
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• 2020

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the third pandemic in history after the Hong Kong flu and swine flu. The outbreak of Corona 19 dramatically reduced exchanges between countries, while rapid contagion created a time gap in economic fluctuations by country. In January 2020, the trade dispute between the US and China entered into a consensus phase, but the economic decoupling phenomenon caused by Corona 19 made it difficult for China to balance trade with the US and made it difficult to comply with the terms of the trade dispute agreement between the US and China. President Trump attributed the responsibility for the spread of Corona 19 to China, and pointed out that the cause of the economic downturn was the infringement of Chinese trade secrets and illegal copies, and protectionism arose. As a result, China protested fiercely, and the conflict with the United States deepened. The US has declared trade sanctions on Huawei and SMIC, which are key companies in China's semiconductor industry, and is predicting the risk of a disconnection of the semiconductor value chain between the US and China. The separation of the value chain of the semiconductor industry has the potential to have a big impact on the semiconductor industry, a structure that is highly specialized and monopolized by certain countries and companies in the value chain. This paper aims to deal with the risk of disconnection in the semiconductor value chain between the US and China reignited by Corona 19, the impact and change of the global semiconductor industry value chain, and the response strategies of Korean semiconductor companies.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.78-104
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• 2021

Purpose - Semiconductors are a significant export item for Korea that is expected to continue to contribute significantly to the Korean economy in the future. Thus, the semiconductor industry is a critical component in the 4th Industrial Revolution and is expected to continue growing as the non-face-to-face economy expands as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, this paper aims to empirically investigate how semiconductors are imported and exported in Korea from a global supply chain perspective by analysing import and export data at the micro-level. Design/methodology - This study conducts a multifaceted analysis of the global supply chain for semiconductors and related equipment in Korea by examining semiconductor imports and exports by semiconductor type, year, target country, mode of transportation, airport/port, and domestic region, using import/export micro-data. The visualisation, flow analysis, and Bayesian Network methodologies were used to compensate for the limitations of each method. Findings - Korea is a major exporter of semiconductor memory and has the world's highest competitiveness but is relatively weak in the field of system semiconductors. The trade deficit in 'semiconductor equipment and parts' is clearly growing. As a result, continued investment in 'system semiconductors' and 'semiconductor equipment and parts' technology development is necessary to boost exports and ensure a stable supply chain. Originality/value - Few papers on semiconductor trade in Korea have been published from the perspective of the global supply chain or value chain. This study contributes to the literature in this area by focusing on import and export data for the global supply chain of the Korean semiconductor industry using a variety of approaches. It is our hope that the insights gained from this study will aid in the advancement of SCM research.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.117-125
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• 2011

While human error happens repeatedly in the semiconductor industry in Korea, which has brought a tremendous loss from manpower, welfare etc., there are limitations to human error prevention activities. When a semiconductor company introduces new machines and facilities from Japan or Germany, the companies often do not consider human factors in the design. Also, semiconductor companies are so occupied with promoting increased productivity, their attention to human errors has been pushed aside. Negative aspects of technical exchange associated with safety management are one aspect of the industry's nature. A semiconductor company recently began acknowledging on the back of TQM(Total Quality Management) that human error has a decisive effect on the safety. There are a number of uncontrollable and hard to handle event sets because the nature of these events with a human error may often be threatened or very intensive. It is strongly required that systemic studies should be performed to grasp the whole picture of a current situation for hazard factors. This study aims to examine the human error approach through the case of human error prevention field activities in a semiconductor industry compared with the activities and experience in nuclear power plants.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.91-119
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• 2016

As the 4th industry is introduced these days, so the demand of various semiconductors is growing in the market. And global semiconductor companies in semiconductor industry are responding to this demand by facilitating innovation. Meanwhile, there has been done many studies regarding supply chain for a long time. And the study of supply chain in semiconductor industry has often been carried out until now. But there were no enough case studies regarding the supply chain of semiconductor company. Therefore, this study carried out a comparative case study for global semiconductor companies' supply chain and compared each companies' supply chain management and strategy. In conclusion, all the companies are executing supply chain management in an aggressive, systematic and organized way, and there were a lot of similarities and a few differences among these companies in supply chain management. Furthermore, each company has a unique way for supply chain strategy. Lastly, this study suggested some messages which are helpful for their supply chain strategy.

• Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.187-201
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• 2009

Semiconductor industry is based on equipment industry and timing industry. In particular, semiconductor process is very complex and as semiconductor-chip width tails and is becoming equipment gradually more as a high technology. Equipment operation is primarily engaged in semiconductor manufacturing (engineers and operator) of being conducted by, equipment errors have also been raised. Equipment operational data related to the error of korea occupational safety and health agency were based on data and production engineers involved in the operator's questionnaire was drawn through the error factor. Equipment operating in the error factor of 9 big item and 36 detail item detailed argument based on the errors down, and 9 big item the equipment during operation of the correlation error factor was conducted. Each of the significance level was correlated with the tabulation and analysis. Using the maximum correlation coefficient, the correlation between the error factors to derive the relationship between factors were analyzed. Facility operating with the analysis of error factors (big and detail item) derive a relationship between the model saw. The end of the operation of the facility in operation on the part of the two factors appeared as prevention. Safety aspects and ergonomics aspects of the approach should be guided to the conclusion.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.278-288
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• 2019

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to summary controversy over health risks among semiconductor workers, to review major cancer risk results conducted in semiconductor operation and to evaluate occupational health activities in Korea for controlling hazardous agents generated in semiconductor operations Methods: Major occupational health issues that has been social controversies among semiconductor workers since 2007 were reviewed through an extensive literature, report and article review. Results: Since a female semiconductor worker aged 22 died from leukemia in 2007, job-association of a number of former semiconductor workers with various types of cancer and rare diseases have been denied by the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (KWCWS), but some of them were later awarded compensation as an occupational disease by the administrative court. Two epidemiologic cancer risk studies conducted in Korea found increased risks in leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among semiconductor workers. Various legal occupational health activities taken in semiconductor industry were found to fail to assess a complex characteristics of semiconductor operations, such as drastic changes in chemical use, processes, and technology, multiple exposure. National compensation regulation also showed the limitation to evaluate job-association of semiconductor workers who had worked in semiconductor operation. Conclusions: National legal measures should be taken to improve several occupational health activities and duties for protecting workers. In addition, the KWCWS program should be revised so that all workers who meet minimal job or environment associations can be compensated.

• Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.303-316
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• 2008

For the past 25 years, Korean semiconductor has experienced enormous growth to be the highest production country in the world. Semiconductor industry is very time sensitive and driven by technology and process, and requires 24-hour full operation. The environment includes many different types of equipment, utilities, different gases and toxic chemicals as well as high voltage electricity. We have performed a survey with 3-shift engineers and workers in one line. The content of the questionnaire was about the correlation between fatigue and performance shaping factor (work type and work ability), and as a result we were able to deduce the correlation, p-value and the pattern of scatter plot. The shape of the model was made of 4 blocks for fatigue, 5 blocks for work type and 5 blocks for work ability, i. e. 14 blocks in total. As a conclusion to this findings, there was a correlation between fatigue and work type and work ability specifically in semiconductor industry, and we need some effort to reduce this.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2012

Trends in semiconductor equipment industry are to reduce the cost of producing semiconductor, semiconductor process development, facility development, and the minimum investment in terms of cost and quality. Semiconductor equipments are being considered to review and development is proceeding at the same time. In the first part of the semiconductor assembly process, in which the importance of die bonding process is emerging, a wide leadframe type die bonding machine is demanded for productivity. Die bonding machine was designed through experiments and by trial and error. It costs a lot of time and financial burden. The purpose of this study is to solve these problems by using the CAE tool 3G. By using finite element method, thermal analysis of die bonding machine to the various widths leadframe die bonder machine rail is performed for design.