Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, May 20. Yonhap
The government will significantly streamline approvals for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment used in key semiconductor processes, sharply cutting inspection times for major chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, as they ramp up production capacity.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said the revisions to the enforcement decree governing high-pressure gas safety have been approved during the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and are expected to take effect immediately after they are formally announced next week.
The amendment allows semiconductor manufacturing tools that meet global safety standards, including EUV lithography systems, to be classified as specified equipment instead of as general high‑pressure gas manufacturing facilities subject to stricter regulation.
Under the changes, inspection and approval procedures for EUV equipment imports are expected to shorten from 34 days to as few as nine days, reducing delays by up to 25 days for each system.
